Phoenix: Morte Et Dabo
by temafan
Summary: When we are born we are a blank canvas, but as we age those around us will add color. They can create something perfect or a abomination, or something in between. We are the creatures we've created. T for violence, language, blood and a relationship between two females Tyzula . R&R. "Phoenix" remake. On Hiatus
1. 1 Jiao

A/N: This is the remake of my previous Fan fiction "Phoenix."

The story contains mature subjects, including relationship between two females and violence. English isn't my first language.

This chapter is a bit shaky since it's been a while since I had written something I am making up myself.

'-X-' means a small time skip

'_words'_ italics are character thoughts.

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><p>Good and evil are not born, they are made by those around them. We are the creatures we've created<p>

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><p>It was midsummer, the skies were dotted with white, fluffy clouds that lazily crawled through the skies above the Royal Capital of the Fire Nation. The market was full of nobles and the wealthy, creating even more heat for the tropical island, but no one seemed to mind. It was a good day to be in the Fire Nation islands, the imperial nation's navy gave it's people a sense of protection and calmness that those outside could never experience unless they were inside the walls of Ba Sing Se.<p>

It was a special day for the prince and princess of the Fire Nation, their second child was due anytime soon. Princess Ursa was glad she could give birth to her second child soon, and if the doctors and sages of the Fire Nation were right, her first daughter.

But there was a small hint of sadness in Ursa's mood, Zuko's frailness and clinging nature would mean he wouldn't welcome a new sibling. The thought of her children fighting for attention worried her, but she shrugged it off since stress was very bad for her baby.

Something that also concerned Ursa was that her second pregnancy was a lot more different than her first, she didn't have cravings or mood swings, the only side effects she did suffer were being tired all the time and sharp pains in random parts of her body. Scared, Ursa summoned the doctors and elders to try and find out why her pregnancy was so abnormal. They couldn't give her a answer, all they could do was guess, and they guessed the child was going to be a lot different than Zuko. But what really made her feel sad was the fact she wasn't going to be able to nurse Azula and bond with her since her body wasn't producing milk. Ursa was looked down upon by nursing Zuko when it was tradition to have a wet nurse do it for her, the children of royals were meant to be strong and independent and it was the belief that their natural mother's milk would cause them to become weak and dependant. Ursa didn't care, she loved the bonding and warmth she got when she nursed Zuko, but she wasn't going to share that with her second child.

However, Ursa had found the perfect substitute. The wet nurse was a former servant for the royal family until she became pregnant with her child. Her name was Jiao, a petite woman with dark brown hair that rested neatly on her shoulders, brown eyes, a perky attitude, and about twenty years old. Ursa knew it wasn't going to be the same, but having someone she trusted feeding her child was enough to let her sigh in relieve.

Princess Ursa was sitting on a dark wooden chair in the room she was made to stay in since she was expected to give birth anytime.

The room was small and simple, different shades of red with solid gold were the only thing that came to mind every time she looked at the room. The bed was big enough for her and her husband but he was missing, half the dresser was empty, and the room was nearly empty, but the room was still better than most of the noble's master bedrooms with all it's expensive furniture, real gold statues and objects, and the finest silk in the nation. No one wanted to take any chances of having a child with royal blood be born like a peasant, so the child barer was made to stay in a room like this to prevented any form of stress or a heavy mind.

Ursa was reading a leather-bound book about the story of the founding of Ba Sing Se, she had to get and pay a merchant willing to defy the Fire Nation's laws and smuggle reading material from outside her home, but it was all worth it after reading a couple of stories and myths.

A sudden knock at the door caused the princess to quickly close the book and put it in one of the drawers hear her seat. "Please come in," Ursa placed her hand on one of the seat's arms for support and stood up, struggling a bit since her back ached. The door was slowly opened, the person behind it wanted to keep the silence Ursa had, until Jiao came inside with a silver trey that had a porcelain tea pot and two cups on it, "I am sorry for the interruption, Princess Ursa, but I thought you and Ozai would enjoy some tea." Ursa smiled a bit, Jiao was more helpful during her pregnancy than Ozai, "thank you, Jiao, but I am all by myself today." The small woman turned her head from side to side and frowned, "I see…," Jiao was starting to be thankful she wasn't part of the royal family since it seemed everyone was doing something different, leaving the person most in need alone. "Where's Zuko? I thought you and him were never apart." Jiao placed the trey on a table and turned to the princess. "He is probably hiding somewhere, plotting his brother or sister's demise," Ursa sat back down, she had forgotten why she got up in the first place, maybe it was because she was reading banned material. The smaller woman lifted the tea pot and poured the steaming brown liquid into one of the cups, "I only have experience with one child, but if yours will be like my sister and I they will fight all the time." Ursa chuckled, Jiao always made her smile, "well I hope they will get along, especially if they turn out to be fire benders like their father."

The princess smiled when she was handed a cup of tea, "thank you." Jiao gave her a bright smile before she took as step towards the door. "Wait, please stay and have a some tea," Ursa almost begged, being alone gave her the time to read her books but it also made her feel isolated. "As you wish, Princess Ursa," Jiao smiled got bigger, spending time with Ursa was a lot better than being bossed around by Azulon or Ozai.

Jiao took a seat near Ursa and poured herself some of the tea she brought in, it was sweet and light, perfect for someone about to with birth. "How is your little one?" Ursa asked, placing her hands on her swollen stomach. "She takes after her father, stubborn and hot-headed," both women laughed lightly. "Just winged her off, very much to her disliking."

"I know how it's like, when I became pregnant with my second child my milk dried up, Zuko would not stop crying all night for months afterwards."

"Sounds like Zuko really loves his mommy."

"A little too much…" Ursa lowered her head, "I overheard the Fire Lord and elders say a 'milk drinker' like him was lucky to be born, that he was too weak when he was birthed. I am afraid I made it worse when I fed him myself."

"There's no need to be ashamed of nursing your child like a 'peasant'," Jiao looked at Ursa straight in the eyes, "who ever came up with that 'tradition' must have not loved their child."

After a few seconds of silence Jiao jumped in her chair, nearly spilling her tea, "what are you going to name your baby!" Ursa always wondered how the smaller woman was able to change her mood very fast, "I am not sure, Ozai will most likely choose it's name. He is thinking of naming it after Azulon."

"Do you think it is going to be a boy or a girl?"

"A girl, I hope, even though I love Zuko with all my heart there are a few things him and I will never experience since he is a boy."

"What if it's a boy or what if the girl doesn't turn out like you want her to be?" Jiao put all of her attention on Ursa's words. "Well, if it's a boy, I will love it equally as much and no matter how odd or different it maybe I will always love it and put it before me." Ursa replied with confidence, she was sure she was going to love her child no matter what.

~X~

"Be careful," Jiao held Ursa's hand while the princess had her right arm around the smaller woman's neck, they were both making their way to the bed in the room. At the moment Ursa was suffering from crippling pain all over her body, Jiao was scared every time she looked at the pain in Ursa's face but knew she had to help as much as she could. "Are you okay! Did your water break!" Jiao helped the princess onto the bed, now she was grabbing the sides of her head. "No…" Ursa moaned as a wave of pain washed over her entire body, "please get a doctor."

Before Ursa could say anything Jiao had ran out of the room, leaving the princess alone in the room. Ursa put her hands on her stomach, wishing the Fire Nation had water bending healers, instead of doctors, to sooth the pain. _"One, two, three-"_ Ursa started counting and trying to ignore the pain.

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><p>Prince Ozai was walking through the red halls of the palace, passing portraits of his ancestors. His topaz eyes never made contact with the portraits' since they could not help him with his goals and ambitions. Many servants bowed as he went by, feeding his ego and lust for power, but he ignored them since acknowledging them was beneath him.<p>

Suddenly he saw two of the palace doctors and Jiao running towards the room his wife was made to stay in. The prince started to make his way towards the room, but kept his slow pace. Even though his second child was going to be born soon he still didn't bother to make any effort of being part of the process since having a second child meant another being was given the ability to dishonor him like Zuko. In his mind he was cursing having as his firstborn since everyone judged him by Zuko's strength and discipline, everything that Zuko lacked.

'_This brat would have to be the Avatar itself to embarrass me even more than Zuko already has,' _the second born prince pushed the door to the room Ursa was in and saw two doctors carrying Ursa towards him while the smaller woman was freaking out behind him. "Ozai-" Ursa reached toward her husband but the prince stepped aside to let the doctors take her to the birthing chamber.

Before Jiao could run pass Ozai, the prince pulled her aside by her collar. "Let me go! Can't you see your wife is going into labor!" Jiao pulled herself away from Ozai, but the fire bender grabbed her wrist and slammed her right side against the wall, "stand still!" Jiao slid down the wall and looked up at the prince, shaking from the sudden attack. "Listen to me," Ozai grabbed the mother by her collar and pulled her closer towards him, "know your place or suffer the punishment!"

"Your wife is giving birth and all you care about is respect?" Jiao said before Ozai released her collar, causing Jiao to fall on her knees and hands. "If you are part of something bigger than most of the world, respect and power is everything," the prince turned towards the birthing chamber.

Jiao stayed on her hands and knees as Ozai disappeared into shadows of the palace, taking his time to get to his wife in pain, _'mo-monster…" _The mother stood up, using the wall for support, and made her way towards the birthing chamber, slowed down by the pain on her entire right side.

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><p>"Where's Jiao or Ozai?" Ursa asked the doctors as two guards opened the doors to the chamber. "They are in their way, princess, but we cannot wait for them to start," the doctor to her left said as they entered the room. The room or 'birthing chamber' was a little bit bigger than the previous room but the only things in the room was a knee high round pool filled with warm water in the center and red pillars on each corner. The room was underground, away from any threats to the mother or child, so the only light was coming from the torches attached to the pillars and walls.<p>

There was three nurses, wearing nothing but dark red shirts and pants, standing near a cart filled with supplies like a change of clothes for the princess, a large number of towels, and cleaning supplies. All of them were rolling the legs of their pants up when Ursa was brought into the room, making them quickly enter the pool of water.

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><p>Jiao was about to turn to the right, to the room where the princess was at, but froze when she saw Ozai taking the opposite hall towards the depths of the Fire Nation palace. Jiao bit her lip, trying to stay quiet, in her mind she was debating on following the prince or going to Ursa's aid. A sudden scream echoed through the halls, making the mother go towards her friend in need. Jiao mentally cursed at herself for not being able to see what the second prince was up to but knew deep down that helping Ursa was a lot more important.<p> 


	2. 2 Golden

A/N: The elders and sages are the same people. Rough Chapter.

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><p>After hours of pain and suffering Ursa had finally given birth to her second born child<p>

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><p>Ursa was laying in the bed inside the room she waited to give birth, resting her back against the backboard and cradling her new baby girl in her arms. After hours of pain and suffering, her second born child was now in her arms. But she did not feel as happy as she thought she would, there was strange barrier between her and the girl in her arms that blocked any deep feelings from raising. The princess had informed the elders and doctors of the lack of emotion but all of them told her it was just the after shock of giving birth and that she would feel everything in a day or two.<p>

"She is very beautiful," Jiao smiled, the wet nurse was sitting on the edge of the bed to Ursa's right, looking over the baby. Everything about the newborn was the same as any other baby except the pale skin and her short dark head of hair, she hadn't opened her eyes so Ursa wasn't sure what color here eyes were, but the royal blood in her meant they would be topaz. "Thank you…" Ursa whispered, she didn't want to break the calm of the room with the cry of her child. That was something else that worried her, when her new baby was born and the nurses lifted her out of the water she didn't shriek or cry like Zuko, it was as if she was asleep, but once they put her in Ursa's arms the baby started whimpering for a few minutes before falling asleep. She remembered Zuko's birth and the shriek he gave once he came out of the water. The baby boy did not stop crying until Ursa started whispering to him.

The newborn girl did not act the same way most babies acted, Ursa knew what Zuko did was over the top, but she expected her baby girl to cry at least. "Di-did your child act like she did?" the princess tilted her head up, looking into Jiao brown eyes. "No, she cried until I nursed her, your baby girl seems to be the perfect baby, she doesn't cry or stir." The princess bit her lip, she wasn't sure a baby that didn't cry was normal, "what if she is mute? Or deaf?" Ursa was scared that having a 'defective' child would dishonor her family even more, she did not care what people thought of her but she did care what Ozai would do once he heard the news his second child had some form of disability. "I am sure she isn't mute or deaf, she just…doesn't have anything to say." Jiao's eyes avoided Ursa's, she didn't really know what was wrong with the child but did know her behavior was very abnormal.

"Where is your child?" Ursa suddenly asked, trying to change the subject. "Sh-she is with her grandparents," Jiao was somewhat shocked at the sudden question, "I thought I would stay for a few hours, just incase she gets hungry."

"Good idea…" Ursa lowered her head again and examined her baby, her body was very warm but she didn't move, she resembled an old porcelain doll the princess had when she was still a child. Both women heard the door to the room opened and turned their heads to the entrance and saw it was one of the elders, "excuse me, Princess Ursa, but we would like to know what name you have chosen for your child." The elder took out a scroll from his person along with a long small wooden box. The aged man walked to the table and unrolled the golden scroll before opening the small box, revealing a small brush and an ink well. Ursa frowned, she wanted to name her child after her mother but knew having a child with the past Avatar's wife's name would only cause her child problems.

'_Azu…la,' _Ursa smiled, even though the name she just made up with came from the man responsible for keeping the world at war it was still beautiful. "Azula," Ursa brushed her daughters pale cheek with her hand, "her name will be Azula." The elder nodded and dipped his brush in the ink before writing Azula's name on the golden scroll.

A knock at the door caused all of the people inside the room to turn their heads, prince Ozai was standing between the room and the hall with two imperial guards behind him. "Azula would be the perfect name for my child," Ozai smirked before waving his hand, dismissing the guards, and entering the room. Jiao stepped away from Ursa as the second prince got closer, she could feel her right side ache again.

"Azula," Ozai gently took his new child from his wife. Ursa froze, the way Ozai's voice sounded scared her, it was calm and almost peaceful, two things the prince wasn't. Ozai held Azula as far away from him as possible by her sides, examining the sleeping baby. Azula kicked her tiny feet and slowly opened her eyes, revealing bright golden eyes. Ozai's eyes went wide, the color and brightness of the girls eyes was something he had never see, they resembled golden pools of molten gold. Azula closed her eyes again and started whimpering, the sounds coming from Azula quickly became louder until she started crying. Ozai's eyes looked at a small candle near the entrance, what he saw was very small, no one else but him noticed it, the flame started waving towards Azula.

"The elders say she will be a great fighter," the elder in the room bowed. "No," Ozai lowered the crying girl to where Ursa could get her, "she will be the _perfect_ example of what the Royal Family can produce and what the Fire Nation can be." Ursa grabbed Azula and cradled her, whispering sweet words in her ears and rocking her side to side until she fell back asleep.

The prince left the room without looking at anyone else in the eye or saying anything.

The time Ozai spent with his wife and child seemed to last only seconds, leaving the women and the elder asking if he was even there. The elder closed the door and turned to Ursa, "Princess Ursa, sometime next month the ceremony of Azula's birth will be held."

"Why next month?" Jiao asked, walking back to Ursa's side. "The Fire Lord said it would be wise to keep his granddaughter safe, that's why Ursa was made to stay in this room during the last month of her pregnancy. Fire Lord Azulon wants to make sure there isn't any form of uprising or threat during the infants first month."

Jiao nodded, being royal during a time of war meant doing everything to keep the royal blood secure, even if the royal wasn't the heir to the throne. The elder put his brush back on the box, "since the child's birth was so different than Zuko's, more elders will come to examine Azula." The elder put his box back in his person and exited the room.

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><p>Prince Ozai was walking towards his father's throne room, trying to walk as fast as he could without anyone noticing, until he saw his older brother. The second prince tried to get to his destination before Iroh stopped him but the heir to the throne saw him, "Ozai."<p>

Ozai cursed under his breath before stopping and bowing, "What is it, Iroh? I am very busy!" Iroh frowned, the way Ozai addressed him always made him feel like they weren't even related, "Ursa and your daughter are the other way, brother."

"I have seen them already," Ozai crossed his arms, "I am going to see Father now, so make it quick."

"Haste causes mistakes, brother, why aren't you spending time with your family?"

"There are more important things than family," the second prince looked at his brother one last time before he started walking away.

"Nothing is more important than family, brother," Iroh glanced at Ozai's direction one last time. _'I should find Zuko and Lu Ten before I go see Ursa,' _Iroh started walking towards one of the palace gardens, Lu Ten often took Zuko there when the young boy was feeling left out.

~X~

Ozai stepped through the opening separating the throne room and the hallway, a wave of heat hit his face as he entered the room. The wall of fire around the throne lit half the throne room, leaving the rest of the room in darkness. Ozai noticed the archers hiding behind pillars lower their arrows in the corner of his eye, _'aging is making you rely too much on others, Father.' _

"Why have you come here, Ozai!" Azulon slammed his fist on his leg and the wall of fire grew, "shouldn't you be tending to you wife and child?" Ozai looked over his shoulder, looking at the men hiding in the shadows before getting on his knees and bowing, "I come baring great news, Father-"

"Has your weak son finally learned to stay quiet and still?" Azulon lowered his voice but the anger in his eyes never left. "He is still a child and will learn or suffer the consequences," the second prince stood up, "this news is about my daughter, Azula." The wall of fire calmed and so did Azulon's frustration with his son, "the elders have informed me they predict she will be a great fighter," Azulon said with a calm voice. Ozai smirked, his daughter was starting to become more useful than Zuko ever was, "yes, and she already shows signed of a fire bender." Azulon raised his eyebrow, "and how do you know that?"

"When she cried a candles flame waved towards her."

"You are coming to conclusions, Ozai, a candles flame waving means nothing!" Azulon felt his temper rise at the stupidity of his son. "Understand that your and your son are wearing down your title as prince, do not worry about what may be but what is in front of you!"

"Father, what is in front of _us_ is an opportunity," Ozai lowered his head, "having another child means we will be able to arrange a marriage with one of the most influential noble families outside ours, who are also expecting a child soon." Ozai's change of topic had the effect he wished, the heat radiating from the wall of fire cooled a bit. "The Lee family would be an excellent asset to us, but why give away your second born instead of Zuko?"

"Zuko, in his first year alone, has proven to everyone he is not fit for such an important role like uniting our family with the Lees-"

"And what makes your think your second born is any different!" Azulon's fire wall increased in size again. "Trust me, Father, Azula will be different, the elders say she will be nothing like Zuko."

"The elders can only predict, understand that, Ozai!" The Fire Lord stood up and waved his hand and part of the wall of fire disappeared, letting Azulon through. Ozai got on one knee and lowered his head, he hated having to bow like a peasant. Azulon's shadow covered Ozai's body, sending chills down the prince's body. "Since you are forsaking Zuko, you first born SON, Azula is your last chance on redeeming yourself!" Ozai looked up and only saw Azulon's eyes in his father's shadow, "yes, Father."

"This is your last chance, do not disappoint me."

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><p>Ursa and Jiao were looking at Azula's face, waiting for the other elders to come, when they both noticed the door slowly open. Ursa's lips formed a smile when she saw Iroh, Lu Ten, and Zuko coming in one by one. Iroh was the first to come to Ursa's side, "I am sorry I couldn't come any sooner, but there have been a lot more war meetings lately."<p>

"It's alright," Ursa replied, "I am guessing Lu Ten was also in the meetings."

"Please forgive me," Lu Ten bowed. "It's alright," the princess turned her attention to her son standing behind Iroh, "now that I have my precious son with me." Zuko walked around Iroh and hugged his mother. "Look at your little sister, Zuko, isn't she just precious?" Ursa lowered Azula so Zuko could see her face. The little boy watched as Azula sleep, the baby sometimes moved a tiny finger or foot. In the boys mind his imagination saw something different in his mother's arms, not a baby girl or something smaller than him, but something he had never seen before. She was a threat and a friend at the same time, all that he could think that would compare to the being in his mother's arms was a black and white mask.


	3. 3 Celebration

Response to Rioshix: This story beginning will be shorter than Phoenix. I am planning on doing an arc before canon time, just to show a few things. I am thinking of changing the title.

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><p>"Ladies and gentlemen, nobles, elders, citizens of the Fire Nation!" Azulon's voice echoed throughout the large courtyard used for announcements and gatherings. The members of the Royal Family, top generals, and elders were standing on a large balcony overlooking the people on the ground. On each side of the balcony there were large bonfires, barely lit, and large crimson banners with the Fire Nation symbol that waved with the breeze towards the setting sun. "I am proud to introduce an addition to the Royal Family!" Despite his age Azulon was still able to speak in a loud and clear voice without straining his throat or tiring himself out.<p>

The Fire Lord looked down at the people he ruled over and saw everyone looking at him as one of the elders took Azula from Ursa's arms. The elder held Azula in front of himself, making sure she wasn't going to fall, "I give you Azula! Daughter of Prince Ozai and Princess Ursa, third grandchild of Fire Lord Azulon!"

The brainwashed people all got in their knees and put their heads against the ground, showing the elite they had complete control over them.

"As Agni departs and the moon rises, the world readies itself through twilight for the next generation of the Fire Nation!" Azulon said as Azula looked down at the people for a few seconds, without crying or moving, until her eyes moved to the faint orange glow on the horizon. The elder pulled Azula back and gave her to Ursa as the people stood up when the sky darkened completely. Iroh and Ozai shot fireballs to the bonfires, creating large fires that bathed the entire balcony in a bright orange glow, followed by soldiers lighting the bonfires on the ground. "May the fires of our might overwhelm the light of the moon!" Azulon said before the doors behind him opened and those in the balcony entered the palace.

~X~

After an hour passed, the Royal Family was in a large room filled with the elite of the Fire Nation. Those inside the room where standing around in groups, near large tables with food and bottles of wine, criticizing the lower classes and the other groups of people in the room.

"Princess Ursa," the wife of a some general called the princess' name as she leaned towards Ursa, "I heard the Lee family could not make tonight's little party." Ursa gave the woman a small smile, trying to keep her calm composure, "Yes…being one of the most notable figures in the Fire Nation they do not have the time to really come to such minor events." The woman glared at the Princess when she failed to thank her for coming, "I heard Lady Lee is going to give birth to at least seven children, imagine how she must look!" Ursa, without trying to look irritated, called her husband's brother, "General Iroh! Why don't you come talk to us?"

The heir to the throne was talking with a few other generals when Ursa called him, making him turn around and smile, "I would love to, Lady Ursa." Once the woman saw Iroh coming towards Ursa she walked away, getting the message Ursa was too polite to say. "Thank you, Iroh, most of these women are like some type of vulture." The general let out a small chuckle before raising his left eyebrow, "where is Azula?" Ursa looked down at Iroh's feet, "she started whimpering when the elder returned her to me, she is in her room sleeping."

"Why are you so upset about her crying, crying is just one of the many things infants do, Ursa." Iroh put his hand of Ursa's shoulder and smiled, "look at the bright side, at least you have another child who loves you very much." Iroh looked around the room, trying to find Zuko, "where is Zuko?"

"He tired himself out after we entered the palace and was put in his bed by one of the servants." Ursa smile, thinking of Zuko and Azula's sleeping faces and thanking that she was blessed by having them. "That's a lot better," Iroh removed his hand from Ursa's shoulder and called a servant near by. "Can you please bring is two cups of jasmine tea," the general asked the servant with a warm voice. "In a second, Prince Iroh," the servant bowed before exiting the room.

As Iroh and Ursa waited for their tea, they commented on the rich as if they were kids, but not as harsh as the others. "She looks like she smells dung everywhere she goes," Ursa stealthily pointed at the a woman with a scrunched up face. Iroh chuckled, "she probably thinks she is too high and mighty for this boring event."

"Boring? This is the most lively party we've had all year!"

"That's right, you haven't really been outside of the capital," Iroh frowned at the thought of Ursa being stuck in such a bland environment her entire life. "Compared to the colonies, and even the shores of the capital, this is quiet dull, Ursa." Iroh looked at the crowed and remembered how the 'peasants' in the colonies actually danced, laughed, smiled, and simply enjoy themselves. "One of the things I am looking towards when I leave for the Earth Kingdom is the gatherings of the people." Ursa nearly choked on her own saliva when she heard Iroh was leaving for another campaign, "how long will you be gone for this time, is Lu Ten coming with you?"

"Lu Ten will not be joining me as the Fire Nation tries to gain more ground in the Earth Nation, and who knows how long that will take." Iroh looked down, "but I have to do whatever it takes to make the Fire Nation great, even if I have to put myself in danger."

"When are you leaving?" the thought of Iroh leaving made Ursa fell very lonely, he was one of the very few people that she actually enjoyed spending time with. "In a week, I was hoping of telling you in a few days."

Iroh and Ursa paused when the servant came back with a tray that had a tea pot and two white porcelain cups on it. The nameless person set the trey on a table near the two royals and quickly brought the two cups of hot tea to Iroh and Ursa before walking to one of the noble's snapping their fingers and yelling at them to come to them.

Ursa looked at her reflection in the tea's surface, seeing how miserable she looked during the celebration of her daughter's birth, "I hope you come back, please make sure you are safe, for Lu Ten and Zuko." Despite being married to Ozai, Ursa felt a lot closer to Iroh and his son, especially after Iroh's wife passed away. She didn't consider herself in love with Iroh, they just had a close bond that she cherished more than her marriage. "Thank you for your concern, Ursa."

~X~

Azula stared at the dark ceiling above her crib, there wasn't any form of toys or stuffed animals to comfort the baby, only silk covered pillows and sheets surrounded the child. She had been crying for a while, but stopped once she realized no one was coming to give her comfort or feed her. Despite the lack of complex thoughts, Azula still felt alone and cold, reaching towards the ceiling with her tiny hands to grab on to something. The darkness got closer, the cold gripped her toes and made her kick the air. No matter how hard she kicked the air and reached for the ceiling, Azula was left alone in dark.

* * *

><p>"A-zu-la, A-zu-la," a soft voice repeated the child's name with an slow and even rhythm. "A-zu-la," the wet nurse smiled as she gently held the child close to her chest. Jiao was sitting on chair inside Azula's nursery as the hungry child nursed, "I heard that royals were thirsty babies but you just keep drinking like there's no tomorrow, Azula." Azula, now two months old, had started growing so she started feeding more. "But that's ok, I enjoy nursing you," Jiao talked to Azula as if she was could understand her words. Azula opened her golden eyes and kicked her leg, causing her face to move a little and milk to spill on her cheek. "Look at what your excitement has done," Jiao reached for a red cloth napkin and removed the spilled milk from the royal's cheek, "but I'll forgive you if you promise to not do it again." The girl blinked a few time before her eyes started to water, "d-don't cry…" The wet nurse quickly stood up and placed Azula in her crib before buttoning her shirt, "do you want to see Ursa?" Azula didn't respond, instead she started whimpering and wiggling her arms and feet. "I know you are still hungry but you have to understand to keep things in moderation, you don't want to become overweight, being a royal and all," Jiao frowned when she heard the infant's whimpers get louder, "please wait, your mommy will be here soon," was the last thing Jiao said before leaving the room.<p>

In an instant, Ursa and Jiao returned to the nursery. The Princess quickly picked Azula from her crib and cradled her in her arms, "hush, Azula, hush." Ursa started moving her arms from side to side, gently rocking the girl in her arms, "hush…" Azula grabbed on to Ursa's sleeve and calmed down, looking into her mother's soft eyes. "My, you sure are getting bigger Azula," Ursa kissed Azula's forehead before sitting down on the chair Jiao was in. "I'll be leaving now, Lady Ursa, I am sure my own child is missing me." The wet nurse smiled as she bowed before leaving Ursa alone with her child.

The princess didn't hear her friends leave, all of her attention was on Azula's features. The infant's hair had barely grown, her eyes were still bright, and she started showing a reaction to her presence. Ursa, however, still felt unable to fully connect with Azula. The elders were right, she fully cared and loved Azula, she did with Zuko, but in the back of her head Ursa still felt as if there was an invisible barrier between them. It didn't affect her emotional relationship with Azula, yet it made her uneasy.

Suddenly the door slammed opened, causing Azula to start crying and Ursa to quickly turn her head, "who dare- Ozai…" Ursa felt her feet start to shake, lately her husband had started becoming increasing angrier and hostile towards other. "Why do you raise you voice, Ursa?" Ozai stepped in the room and slammed the door shut, looking at a candle near the door. Azula cried harder and Ozai could see nearly invisible smoke coming from the candle's tip. "Can't a father see his daughter, or do have you been speaking to Iroh?" Ozai crossed his arms and stepped toward Ursa, watching the fear in her eyes grow, "how is _my_ daughter doing, Ursa?" The princess felt lightheaded, it felt as if Ozai was bending inside the room and sucking all of the air inside, "sh-she is doing fine…" Ozai's harsh stare turned to the crying child who was grabbing on to Ursa's sleeve for dear life. "Where is Zuko, Ursa?" the bender stepped closer, noticing the child tense up and look at him through the tears in her eyes. "H-he is spending time with Lu Ten…Ozai." Ursa looked down, passed Azula, at the ground. "That's right, Lu Ten is still unable to join his father at war. Give her to me, Ursa." The prince unfolded his arms and leaned towards Ursa. "wh-what?

"Do not make me repeat myself, Ursa!" Like one of the servants, Ursa quickly did what Ozai wanted and raised Azula so her husband could take her. Ozai put his hands around Azula, ready to take her, but the girl started wiggling and tugging at Ursa's sleeve. Ozai's eyes darted to the candle and saw a spark come off the tip, before fully taking Azula away from Ursa. A weak flame ignited the candle as Azula cried louder, making Ozai smirk. _'Soon you'll learn to keep quiet and do what I order you to do, just like you mother,' _the prince looked into his child's eyes and saw something lacking from Zuko, power and potential.

* * *

><p>AN: Since I haven't really written something like 'Phoenix' in a long time, this chapters will be lacking a few things before I get used to writing something again.


	4. 4 Turtle Ducks

A/N: getting used to writing again. Still thinking of a title, leaning towards 'Phoenix Reborn' but the whole reborn thing is overdone.

-Ozai is a hard character to write since he was a generic villain.

* * *

><p>"Seven identical girls!" Azulon started grinding his teeth at the news his second son had just delivered, the fire around him grew in size, to the point where it burned the edge of the red carpet Ozai was standing on. Ozai nearly jumped back when the flames came towards him, if he wasn't on his knees and his forehead wasn't against the floor. Beads of sweat formed on the prince's forehead, the heat coming from Azulon's fire was unbearable, even for a fire bender, ""Father-"<p>

"Don't open you wretched mouth, Ozai! The sound of your voice-" Azulon's face turned blank and he grabbed on to his chest, a sharp pain in his chest caused him to lose his focus and the flames around him started spreading towards Ozai and himself. Ozai got on one knee before his father shot a plume of white fire towards him, "stand still!" Azulon gasped for air, closing one eyes as the pain in his chest increased.

Ozai's eyebrows slanted towards his nose as the white fire rushed passed him, blocking the archers from coming near both of them, "you are sick, you have to stand down!"

Azulon cracked open his closed eye so his son could see the anger in both of his eyes, "it's not my age or health, wretched child! It's the mere sight of you and your disappointments that are going to be the end of me!" the pain in his chest finally died down, "I'm just glad your mother isn't here to see what a failure you have become!" Ozai started shaking with rage but before he could say anything his father took a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing on the flames around him, "leave me alone until you have proven to me your are able to do something right for once in your miserable life or at least be more like Iroh. No more excuses as to why you will not join your brother in battle or why you deserve to be Fire Lord. Just go and don't come back until you have something that will actually change my opinion about you."

* * *

><p>3 Years Later<p>

"The world can take a deep breath, but there is still an enormous weight on everyone's shoulders," a man said as he burred his arm in the ground. "You have to hurry, master, I can't see in the dark, my abilities are also being blocked by whatever this place is made off. Where are we?" A second man said as he wondered through the darkness. "We are where the spirits created their world," the first man leaned against the ground, trying to grab something he just couldn't quite reach, "do to it's concentrated energy, all forms of 'lower' energy are overpowered, that is why you cannot use your abilities. There's a large rock in front of you" The second man backed away, "well I don't like this place, why should be sever the boundaries between ourselves and everyone else?" The first man didn't respond, instead he just grabbed on to something and pulled it up from the ground, "because that is why we are still here, to give people what they want and what they are willing to kill each other for, power. However," the first man got on his feet, still pulling something out of the ground before fully standing up, "we are not just handing them power, they have to work for it." Whatever was in his hand pulsed with energy, it felt as if he was holding onto a large beating heart. With his free hand, the first man took out a dagger and stabbed the beating object on his hand. Suddenly emerald green light radiated from the invisible walls of the pitch black cavern. "What the-" the second man put his hand in front of his face to block the light, "what was that?" he lowered his hand and saw what was glowing were large crystal formations and giants roots. The second man turned to his master and saw he was holding a large root on his hand, black ooze covered the knife's blade and the first man's hand. "I didn't know we were under the old Earth Kingdom," the second man said before walking to the only other person in the cave with him. "We aren't in the old Earth Kingdom, this crystals are all over the world, covered in layers of earth. The root was sapping the spirit energy, draining the crystals, but now that it is gone, people can harness what the spirits didn't want."

"and what would that be?"

"are you paying attention, Shintao?" the first man let go of the root, "the power to think and advance."

"what is our next step, Master?"

"Turn the fail-safe against it's master."

"A phoenix has been born!" Shintao balled his hands into fists. "Three years ago, we have yet to find it, but soon we will."

* * *

><p>"How is she doing with her exercises?" Ozai asked his daughter's private tutor as they walked towards one of the pond gardens in the palace. The tutor was an woman with perfect stature, light brown hair with streaks of grey, a few unavoidable wrinkles that came with age, and dull brown eyes. "She has surpassed Zuko in problem solving, writing, speaking and manners," the woman said in a monotone voice, "there is no needs to worry about her, she is perfect in almost every single way except she lacks emotion."<p>

They stepped into the garden to find the girl grabbing handfuls of green grass just to squeeze them and put them back of the ground as dried up brown piles. "She shows promising signs of being a powerful bender. There is a slight problem, Prince Ozai, she favors male orientated games and play things."

"That does not matter to me, as long as she is able to do what she is asked of."

"Azu-" Ursa came in the garden, exited about something, when she spotted Ozai. "Hello, Ursa," the prince smiled at his wife, with each sign Azula's development Ozai's anger started to wither. The tutor silently bowed before going back to the palace. "Where is Zuko?"

"He is with Mai," Ursa slowly walked toward Azula, who got up from the ground and grabbed on to Ursa's long sleeve. "I told you he should be around that Lee brat."

"Why should he be forced into a relationship he doesn't want to be part of?" what came out of Ursa's mouth hurt her deep inside, now more than ever she felt forced into loving Ozai. "Because it is for the greater good, Ursa, now leave Azula and me alone, there are things she needs to understand."

"Bu-" Ursa was cut off by the prince's hands on her shoulders, "trust me, Ursa, this is for the best. She just needs to understand what is expected of her." The Princess looked down and nodded before getting on one knee to Azula's eyes level. The mother hugged her child, "if he hurts you, yell," she whispered in her ear before reentering the palace.

"What is it, Father?" Azula asked but her father didn't respond, instead he walked towards the pond and snatched a tiny turtle duck from it's family. "Come, child," Ozai's voice send shivers down Azula's spine, making her hesitated before slowly walking to where her father was.

"It seems you are doing everything you are asking for, that's good." Ozai's grip tightened around the tiny creature in his hands, making it struggle against his hands. "Doing what you are told by those superior than you will bring you rewards," the prince opened his hand, balancing the creature on his palm, "but failure will only bring you harm." In a flash Ozai had pinned the tiny things against his palm with his thumb, "all that weight of failure will suffocate you," the creature in his hand struggle to breath, "until you are reduced into nothing." the turtle duck stopped moving and it is body went limp. The Prince set the turtle duck on one of the stones separating the grass and water before walking away, "remember, without your superiors, you are nothing, without me you are nothing." The turtle duck mother quickly swam to the edge of the pond before trying to get it's baby to stand on it's feet, "and there is nothing you or you weak mother can do to change what you will become if you fail to do what you are told," Ozai said before disappearing into the darkness of the palace.

Azula felt her entire being turn to stone as she heard the creature cry as her father squeezed the breath out of it's tiny chest. His words and the images her brain was seeing made her head ache, but the pain was very dull. Every single word that came out of her father's mouth felt like a hot iron burning her very being. The world around her seemed to stop when the prince had put the creature on the stone. In Azula's mind, she saw herself on that rock, helpless and hurt.

Tears rolled down her face when her father was gone and the tiny being was laid before it's mother, motionless and vulnerable. The young girl got on her knees and when she tried to reach towards the chick the larger turtle duck pecked her hand, making the princess pull the limb back and shut her eyes close. Azula's frail mind looked for an escape from what her father had just shown her. After a few minutes of sobbing Azula fell asleep, her mind needed the rest and take time to understand what had just happened.

But her rest made her miss the truth as the baby turtle duck started moving with it's mother's help. Before long, the tiny turtle duck rejoined it's family and swam away.


	5. 5 Ty Lee

"No matter how hard someone tries to establish peace, love, and understanding there will always be resistance. Old grudges and scars do not completely fade away, they are ideas and ideas are like a disease. An idea is born in a single mind before it quickly spreads like a forgotten plague." A dark and calm voice came from the darkness, "our faces simply hide the ideas we harbor."

"Yes, but an idea can wither away," The master said as he felt the darkness circle him, the faint sound of snapping made him clench his jaw, "much like Shintao and I, we're merely ghosts of a forgotten past that stained and shaped today."

"We are ghosts, most spirits," the voice was now on The Master's right side, an inch away from his ear, "but some dare to claim to be god. He says he is willing to forgive us, you, if we bow down before him." the voice quickly moved to the left side. "I will never bow to he who claims to be divine," The Master turned to the left, only to find piercing grey eyes looking into his soul. "His blood is within those responsible for murdering your kind and everyone who knew them, his blood is with those in charge with purifying the world from the heretics, his blood is with the ones you help start this war with."

"Azula…" The Master looked down, avoiding any form of expression, "when she was birthed, almost four years ago, I hoped the signs were wrong, that maybe the Phoenix was a late bloomer, but to have that much power as a child must be a burden. She-she will have to mature at such a rate it will drive her mad."

"Is that pity I hear? Have you gotten soft over your many years, _Master?_" The voice suddenly turned into a female's, "No matter, I have been keeping an eye on her, her father has already started corroding her mind."

"Ozai, he is too easily distracted and proud, we can use him to our advantage." The Master almost smirked. "Just what are you planning?" The voice slowly started to fade away.

"The same thing we are both thinking." The Master turned his attention the darkness in front of him, knowing the voice was going to return with full force. "The beast from the Sea and The beast from the Earth, trying to get False Prophet on their side?" The voice was louder than ever, The Master could feel the ground under his feet tremble, "turning a Phoenix against it's master!" There was no reply, "I have seen what lays in the darkest and most twisted of human and spiritual minds, none have thought of a way to break the link between master and slave."

"The root has been removed-"

"What are you planning on gaining by letting people advance! Things have been the same for thousands of years, you of all people should know that, so why give the weak minded strength!"

"To show the spirits just what their actions actually do and the consequences."

"With the knowledge and contraptions that come with advancing, people will forgot about their gods since they will be able to take care of themselves!" the voice started laughing, "but that's not everything , is it?" the voice suddenly returned to it's calm tone.

"We will see, one can only plan and speculate without putting setting things into motion, not everything will go as planned."

"Indeed, now go, the shadows can only protect you for a limited time."

* * *

><p>"Come, Azula, there's someone I think you would like to meet!" Ursa smiled, she was holding her daughter's hand as they walked towards the playroom, an unused room that was converted with Ursa's orders. Azula didn't say anything, instead she just walked a few steps behind her mother. "You needs to loosen up, Azula, you are too young to act so proper and stiff, or do you want to be a bore like that tutor?" Ursa joked, but her smile faded when she saw her daughter look down. "It's not a bad thing to be proper, but you are with family, there's no need to try and impress us," Ursa reassured her daughter before stopping in front of the door to the play room. "Her name is Ty Lee and she loves to play," Ursa opened the door and smiled when she saw Ty Lee and Zuko playing on the ground. Azula's eyes scanned Ty Lee and something inside told her they weren't going to be very close or friends at all. Everything about Ty Lee seemed to contradict everything Azula's father told her. She wasn't wearing the colors of the Fire Nation, instead she was wearing pink, a weak color compared to the shades of red the royals wear. She had a large smile on her face as she played with a doll, making strange gestures with her hands, clearly no one ever taught her how to be a proper young lady. But the one thing that bothered Azula the most was the color of her eyes, they were silver, or at least look like they were. The princess was used to seeing brown eyes in all of the people that worked in the palace and gold from all of her relatives, so the new set of eyes made her feel uneasy.<p>

Ursa looked at Azula and smiled again, _'she looks interested in Ty Lee.'_ Having Azula be around someone so outgoing and full of energy made Ursa hope some of Ty Lee would rube off on Azula.

The girl in pink turned her head when the door opened, her silver eyes grew wide when she saw Azula. The youngest royal wore layers of dark red clothing, her hair was styled into a neat bun, and her skin seemed to glow as the light's hit her pale skin. Two locks of dark hair framed her face, making Azula's 'regal' eye color stand out. Ty Lee set her toy down and jumped up before running towards Princess Ursa and Azula. This new girl she had never seen before seemed so out of place, out of this world, that she couldn't help but examine her closely.

Ursa lightly giggled when she saw Ty Lee leaning towards Azula, examining the girl's face and features, _'looks like they both are interested.'_ Suddenly Ursa saw Ty Lee's hand grab on one of Azula's locks. "It's so so-" Ty Lee was pushed back by the young royal, towards Zuko and the toys they were playing with before. "Azula!" Ursa quickly went to the children's aid, "why would you ever do something like that!"

Azula frowned before looking away, "she touched me." Ursa's eyes grew wide when she realized Azula had never interacted with anyone outside of the royal family or servants.

Ty Lee's grey eyes stared to water as she stood up, holding her arm, when she saw Azula staring at her, "w-why did you do that?" Ty lee's voice trembled as tears started streaming down her face. "Know your place, peasant!" Azula spat, avoiding eye contact with her mother and brother, both shocked at how cold Azula's voice sounded. "Azula!" Ursa walked towards her daughter and grabbed her hand, "I think we need to have a talk."

Both females walked out of the play room, leaving Zuko to consult Ty Lee, the princess took Azula to a corner, away from the other children or servants. "Just where did that come from, Azula?" Ursa kneeled down and put her hands on Azula's shoulders. "Father said people like her make me weak," Azula replied, remembering Ozai telling her Ursa wasn't going to help her. Ursa bit her lower lip, _'Ozai…'_ Despite telling herself she needed to confront Ozai and tell him to stop corrupting Azula, Ursa knew she didn't have the strength or bravery to do it. "Azula, I need you to understand that you cannot treat people like that," the princess stopped, taking a deep breath and gathering her thoughts, "that's an order." Azula felt a lump form on the back of her throat, remembering Ozai telling her about reward and punished when following her superiors. "Yes," Azula crossed her arms and pouted, "mother…"

"Promise me, Azula, that you will at least try to be nice to Ty Lee, she maybe naturally happy but she can still be hurt." Azla simply nodded. Ursa stood up and grabbed hold to Azula's hand again, "let's go back inside so you can apologize to Ty Lee."

~X~

"I-I," Azula looked down at her feet, still mad she had to apologize to someone lesser than her. "It's alright, I forgive you!" Ty Lee had a large smile on her face, any traces of sorrow seemed to have been erased, "what's you name?" Azula looked up and let out a sigh of relive, she didn't have to degrade herself, "Azula, why did you touch me?" Ursa was about to say something but stopped when Ty Lee replied, "I wanted to see if you were real, you look like a doll!" Ty lee quickly grabbed her doll from the ground and held it up to Azula's face, "see!" Azula grabbed Ty Lee's wrists, making sure not to hurt her, and made her move the doll away from her.

"Mom," Zuko tugged on Ursa's sleeve, "I'm hungry, can we please get something to eat?" Ursa looked down at Zuko then back to the girls, "sure. Azula, why don't you and Ty Lee play while Zuko get's something to eat." The royal girl was about to protest but the girl staring at her beat her to a response, "you guys can go and eat, I am sure 'Zula won't mind playing with me!" It wasn't every day Ty Lee got to play with a new royal. "My name is Azula!" Azula crossed her arms and looked away. Ursa and Zuko both laughed as the left the room.

Both girls stared at each other, neither said a word since they were waiting for the other to break the silence. Ty Lee was fighting the urge to say something, not completely forgetting about Azula pushing her. "Quit looking at me!" Azula broke the silence in the room. "But you're so pretty!" Ty Lee stepped towards the royal. Azula stepped back, for some reason she felt her face get warmer. Ty Lee leaned down and picked up another toy, a male figure resembling the Fire lord, "do you want to play?" Azula hesitated, but then she remembered her promise with Ursa, 'fine…"

* * *

><p>"The procedure is highly dangerous, Prince Ozai," Shintao said as he stood behind the Prince. "I do not care, as long as it helps her become stronger and obey me," Ozai replied, the thought of working with water benders made him sick. "She may die from the preparation alone since she is only a child, wouldn't you prefer to have a higher success rate when she is older?"<p>

"No!," Ozai turned to Shintao, "Don't you get it? Time is something I don't have." Ozai saw Shintao and wondered how he was a water bender, the man had dark hair, pale green eyes, and was wearing a Fire Nation soldier uniform. "Very well then…Prince Ozai, she will also lose the ability to bare children, her emotions might increase or be completely gone, and there will also be other side effects."

"Like I said, I do not care, even if everything goes wrong there is nothing else I have to lose!"

"If you don't mind me asking, Prince, just what makes you think Azula is a Phoenix? Phoenixes are just legends told to Fire Nation children to inspire them to become benders for the army." Ozai, still not the self-righteous man he would later become, replied, "everything about her shows signs of a Phoenix. She shows signs of high intelligence, intense power, and strength." Shintao smirked, thinking of all of the Phoenixes he had killed since the war started, "what makes you think that a Phoenix is as powerful as the tales say they are?"

"I do not know, even if it slightly increases her bending it is still something gained, I have nothing to lose but something to gain." Ozai thought of what he said and sighed, "we will wait at least a year or two before we 'awaken', as you put it, Azula." The higher the chance Azula had at getting stronger meant a higher chance of Azulon seeing Ozai and his family were worthy to be the ruling family.

* * *

><p>AN: Still getting used to writing a story.


	6. 6 Potential

A/N: Thank you Rioshix and Maxmercury1000 for the reviews, they help get more readers. One thing I want to make clear is that this story will not be about any real religion, so don't get mad when I reference things like the Beast from the Sea.

* * *

><p>"I'm bored, 'Zula!" Ty Lee complained to her 'friend' while sitting under a large tree near a pond. Azula, already irritated that every time the girl came over now she could follow her everywhere, stood up, "go with Zuko, isn't that why your mother or father send you here for?" Ty Lee's permanent smile faded away, "he doesn't really want to do anything but follow Lady Ursa, 'Zula…"<p>

"My name is NOT ''Zula'!" Azula snapped, "how hard is it for you to simply say Azula!" Azula's golden eyes scanned the usually happy girl, the sad look in her grey eyes brought Azula some strange satisfaction. "Why don't you go cry to your mother to not bring you here anymore!" The feeling of wiping that stupid smile off Ty Lee's face made the royal feel better about herself. Azula was proud for not showing such weak emotions like Ty Lee, but after a few seconds of satisfaction something on the pit of her stomach dropped.

The girl in pink didn't say anything, instead she just looked down and started to quietly sob. The royal was right, why did she keep coming to the palace to be bored out of her mind or be abused be the fiery girl, but deep down Ty Lee knew she came for Azula. Something about Azula and her approval seemed to be better than any treat or toy her mother gave her. Ty Lee put her right hand of her face, trying to wipe the tears away, but froze when she felt Azula's warm hand on her head. _'W-why am I doing this! Especially for someone soo weak…' _Azula thought to herself before clearing her throat, "it's alright if you call me by that name." Ty Lee's silver eyes met Azula's golden ones and saw regret, "I-it's alright," she wiped her nose with her sleeve, "I shouldn't have addressed a royal like that." Azula tilted her head and looked up to avoid the big grey eyes looking at her, "it's alright, you can call me what ever you want, just don't complain." Azula removed her hand from Ty Lee's head and lowered it so the pink girl could take it, "let's go do something fun..." The tears rolling down Ty Lee's eyes stopped before Ty Lee took Azula's hand. Even though Azula was taught that people like Ty Lee were weak and deserved no mercy, something about Ty Lee's big grey eyes filled with tears and sadness made the royal feel pity. Ty Lee was also the only other person, besides Ursa and Zuko, that didn't make her practice or study a subject, something Azula did not want to lose.

~X~

Ursa was sitting down with Zuko inside one of the palace rooms, reading him a book, but not really paying attention. The princess' mind was too focused on her daughter, lately she had been acting more and more like Ozai. Ursa knew she couldn't protect Azula all the time, though she tried, but Ozai's negative influence seemed to overpower Ursa's positive one in the small amount of time they spent together. Then there was the small things that started to worry Ursa, Ozai and the Lees were forcing Ty Lee and Zuko to like each other. Ursa knew Zuko and Ty Lee weren't interest in each other passed friends and a forced relationship would lead to a marriage like her own, Ursa wasn't forced into loving Ozai when they first met but now it was just to keep up appearances. Ursa believed a relationship should be based on love, not through family names and status, so she secretly started separating Zuko and Ty Lee. The separation was also starting to worry Ursa, since Azula was acting more like Ozai each day the princess was scared Azula would hurt Ty Lee, especially since she had just started learning about the power she wielded. "Mom," Zuko looked up at his mom, "you've stopped reading."

"Sorry," Ursa whispered before snapping back to reality, "it's been a long day, Zuko."

After a few seconds of silence Ursa set the book down and took a deep breath or air, "what does Ty Lee say about Azula, Zuko?" The young boy thought for a second before responding, "she talks about how pretty and smart Azula is, I think Ty Lee wants to be her."

"I see," Ursa started thinking, "what do they do when you play with them?"

"Ty Lee usually compliments Azula and repeats what she says, Azula just looks annoyed with everything Ty Lee does."

'_How odd,'_ the princess thought as she stood up, "why don't you go play with them, I have a few things I need to take care of." Zuko nodded before leaving his mother.

'_When Azula usually get's annoyed with something she tends to get mad or ignore it,' _Ursa found herself pacing back and forth_, 'so why does she keep Ty Lee around? Maybe Ty Lee's positive attitude is starting to rub of on Azula,' _the thought made Ursa smile.

~X~

"Then we get married and have a couple of children!" Azula could feel the optimism and happiness ooze out of the pink girl. "Why are you the mother and why am I always stuck doing the boring paperwork and hard stuff?" Azula crossed her arms as Ty Lee grabbed a cushion near by and put it under her shirt, "what are you doing?"

"Because you are a lot stronger and smarter!" Ty Lee cheered, "and I am a mommy," Ty Lee picked up her doll and cradled it in her hands. "I thought we were done playing your game, Ty."

"Ty?" it felt weird for the pink girl to be called by her first name alone. "If you can call me 'Zula,' why can't I call you 'Ty'?" Ty Lee's smile got larger, if that was possible before quickly grabbing Azula's right hand, "you shall be Fire Lord 'Zula and I will be Fire Lady Ty Lee." Azula suddenly felt the air in her lungs get sucked out, it was like what she felt when she made Ty Lee cry, only it stayed with her instead of being replaced with pity. "Fire Lord 'Zula' Ty Lee giggled, "what shall we name our babies?" Azula didn't respond, instead she repeated what Ty Lee just said, _'Fire Lord Azula…'_ Azula smirked at the sound of her imaginary title, it almost sounded like it was meant to be. "Are you ok, 'Zula?" Ty Lee asked before the cushion under her shirt fell down, making the nobleman's daughter pick it up again. "Fire Lord Azula," the bender repeated under her breath before she finally returned to the real world, "what do you want?" Ty Lee put the cushion back under her shirt, "what shall we name our children?" Azula stared at the girl for a few seconds, "I don't know." The royal was never good when it came to being creative, Ozai and her tutor taught her that only the weak minded worry about things that didn't help them become stronger. "How about-" Ty Lee paused when she heard the door to the play room open.

"Hey," Zuko waved at both girls, stopping when he saw Ty Lee holding Azula's hand while cradling a doll in her free arm, "am I interrupting something?"

"No, why don't you join us?" Ty Lee replied as Azula tried to pull away from the pink girl, but Ty Lee's hold was too strong, "you can be uncle Zuko."

"Uncle Zuko?" the male asked as he walked towards his sister and their friend. "Our first child was born and another is on the way," Ty Lee first raised her arm that had the doll then looked at her stomach, "they still needs names." A blank expression appeared on Zuko's face, "uh…I don't think two girls can have babies, Ty L-."

"It's a game!" Azula interrupted, "just play along." The sound of Azula's voice made Zuko uneasy, "o-ok then."

~x~

"Azula is ready to start her fire bending training, Prince Ozai," Azula's tutor said as they walked through the halls of the palace. "How are her studies?" Ozai asked. "Above average in reading, writing, and manners, as always. However, she still prefers to do things like a male, she shows no inter-""Get to the point," Ozai interrupted the woman. "We fear she may be confused about her gender, she prefers to be in charge and have dominance over her surroundings." Ozai knew the woman's old ideas were getting in the way, the prince was sure Azula wanted power and strength instead of wanting to be a boy, "that should not be a problem as long as she knows who to obey and how to follow orders."

"Yes…Prince Ozai," the aged woman said with a dry voice, _'if she wants to be proper young lady she will need to stop trying to act like a girl lov-' _The woman's mind drifted when she saw inside the play room when she passed by. Inside Azula had her arm around Ty Lee while the pink girl rested her head on the royal's shoulder and Zuko was behind them with a confused look on his face. The look of discomfort and red staining Azula's cheeks and the bridge of her nose nearly gave the woman a heart attack, _'A egomaniac, a weak son and mother, and a freak for a daughter, Fire Lord Sozin would roll in his grave if the second branch would ever take power…'_

* * *

><p>AN: I know that in like every fanfic I write I always make Azula and Ty Lee play some kind of game where they pretend to be married, I think it's cute and that it might have happened in the real show.

* * *

><p>Part Two<p>

As another year came Azula and Ty Lee's relationship grew, so did Ozai's need to control his daughter's power and the need to make her perfect to show his father he could produce something to be proud of. Ursa's relationship with Azula slowly started to fall apart as Azula's attitude and ideas started to reflect Ozai's, deep down the princess didn't want to be hurt by Azula when she fully turned into her father, so she mentally and emotionally prepared herself for that day by separating herself from the girl.

* * *

><p>"Again!" Ozai yelled as he walked around Azula, who was in a defensive stance. The prince noticed Azula's right food was too far from her left and swept his left food between her legs, knocking the girl off her feet and onto the ground. "Ah!" Azula fell on her left side for the hundred time, by now she had bruises on her shoulder and thigh. "Get up!" Ozai commanded when he noticed Azula was having a hard time getting on her feet. Azula glared at her father as she got on one knee before Ozai swept it, making her fall again. "Get up!"<p>

"I can't if you keep-" Azula found herself lying on her back with Ozai's foot on her stomach, "learn your place, child!" Azula turned her head so she wasn't looking into Ozai's eyes, "sorry." Ozai was about to say something when he heard foot steps coming from the hall leading to the courtyard they where on, "that's enough for now," he said before removing his foot. Azula supported herself with her elbows and watched as Ozai entered the palace, "remember, Azula, this is for your own good."

Azula rolled her shoulder when she finally got up and flinched when she felt a sharp pain, it was enough to make her curse but that behavior was beneath her. The royal brushed dirt off her crimson shirt when she noticed Jiao waiting for her near the entrance Ozai had just used. "I see you've started fire bending, impressive," the mother smiled at Azula, remembering the royal as a baby and how much she had grown, "my daughter has just started showing signs of being a bender and she is half a year older than you." Azula gave the woman a smile, but she wasn't happy to see the woman, Ozai clearly told to stay away from people like her, "sounds interesting." After Azula stopped nursing, Jiao was promoted by Lady Ursa as her personal servant, giving Ursa's friend a lot more freedom than the rest of the servants. Jiao mostly ran errands for the princess or spend time with her, "Lady Ursa said it is time for you to eat something, there's also someone here to see you."

'_Ty Lee,'_ Azula said in her mind, the bubbly girl started to grow on her but Ozai's threat of becoming weak made her keep her distance.

~X~

Azula watched as her friend happily ate all of the food meant for her, she wasn't really hungry so she was more than happy to give it away. The pink color soothed Azula's mind, it wasn't aggressive like the crimson and black of the palace, the silence they shared also gave Azula time to think. _'At least her parent's taught her to eat with her mouth close,' _Azula's golden eyes watched the joy in Ty Lee's eyes, _'do they even feed her?'_ Azula shook her head at the thought, Ty Lee was just hungry from doing all of the cartwheels and other acrobatics she was learning. "Sorry I am late, what are you guys doing?" Zuko's voice came from behind the two girls. Azula frowned, lately Zuko had started trying to beat her at nearly everything, but failed like always. _'As if he needs anything more than Ursa,'_ Azula's golden eyes glared at Zuko as he sat on the opposite side of the table, _'she already gives him everything so what else can he gain by beating me?' _

"Eating," Ty Lee said before grabbing a bowl of rice in front of her. "Isn't Azula suppose to eat that?"

"I am not hungry!" Azula snapped, Zuko's presence alone shortened her fuse, but now he was asking stupid questions, "why aren't you with Mother?" Zuko was taken aback at the harsh tone in Azula's voice, "she is with her friend, I thought I just see what you two were doing."

Ty Lee looked back and forth between the two royals and swallowed the food in her mouth, "relax guys, you guys shouldn't fight." Ty Lee squinted her eyes and saw red radiating from Azula and grey from Zuko, "you both are tense, why don't we go play a game?"

"Finish your food," Azula commanded, eyeing the half empty bowl of rice. The pink clad girl bit her lower lip before lowering her head and finishing Azula's food. Azula's anger faded away when an awkward silence fell on the room, making Azula realize what she had just done. The royal female took in a deep breath of air before releasing it in a small plume of fire away from her friend and brother. With the final spec of anger and envy out of her system, Azula put her hand on her friend's shoulder and looked at Zuko, "listen, you don't have to force yourself too eat the food, why don't you show me that new move you've learned?"

"Sure thing!" Ty Lee jumped off her chair and wrapped her arms around Azula's neck. Azula gently pushed the girl away from herself and looked at Zuko, "aren't you coming?"

"S-sure," Zuko got off his seat and joined his sister and friend, but went to Ty Lee's side instead of Azula's.

~X~

"Ozai, I don't think you should be treating Azula as if she was older or a boy, Zuko can barely control his flames, and he is in the academy, but you are already teaching Azula moves that are too advance for Zuko." Ursa grabbed Ozai's hands and looked straight into his eyes, _'Azula hands feel the same…warm but cold.' _The prince pulled his hands away from his wife, "do not tell me what to do, Ursa, you may have the Avatar's blood in you, but not royal."

"Ozai," Ursa reached for his hands again, "please, you are making Zuko try the things you are teaching Azula by himself and hurting himself!" Ozai looked at the desperation on Ursa's eyes and face, "as descendants of a long line of great benders, both Azula and Zuko need to be stronger than the rest. Azula is learning through mistakes and expectations while Zuko is learning through pain, by the end both will be strong enough to battle Lu Ten for the throne and beat him." Ursa felt her heart start to beat faster, "please do not use them for your own sick desires!" The princess felt tears start to form, "you will only create monsters and lose everything," Ozai had already lost her and was planning on making his children like him. "Like it or not you do not have the power to stop what has already been set to motion, especially with Azula," Ozai's pulled his hands away from Ursa's grasp, _'so go and try to turn them against me.' _Ozai suddenly hugged his wife, reminding her of when they first fell in love, "I am only doing this to assure us a bright future, Ursa, a future where people don't look down on Zuko and where Azula's potential is not wasted by having her stay in the side lines." Ursa, wanting to believe Ozai was right, hugged him back and cried against his chest, "please…please don't let you're ambition tear our family apart. It's hard seeing our children fight against each other for an impossible goal, Ozia." The prince gently stroked his wife's back, "it would be harder to see them fade into history with such potential while others steal their rightful place in the world…" Despite everything Ozai had done or said to Azula and Zuko, he partially meant what he said, it would be a shame seeing all of his work be for nothing.


	7. 7 Expectations

Azula raised her thin right eyebrow as the ink black haired girl stared at her with a bored expression on her face. Ty Lee turned her head back and forth, from Azula to Mai, a few times, practically watching the electricity fly between them, wondering why neither greeted the other. Azula suddenly felt agitated at the lack of respect the girl showed her, she was suppose to bow, showing Azula she had control. Mai noticed the anger in Azula's eyes and smirked, _'so this is the famous prodigy of the Royal Family? How…disappointing…' _

"What are you guys doing?" Ty Lee asked, scratching her head. "Be quiet!" both Azula and Mai said without taking their eyes off each other. Ty Lee jumped back but smiled when she realized just how similar both girls were. "So you must be Mai," Azula crossed her arms and smirked, "I cannot recall anyone ever mentioning your family in the palace." Mai's frown intensified, despite what her family tried to do to get on the Royal Family's good side they were always looked down upon for not being as rich as Ty Lee's family. "You are Azula, right?" Mai asked with a casual tone, knowing just how the lack of respect irritated the fire bender, "how is your father? Last thing I heard was that he did not go to war with the great Iroh." Azula narrowed her eyes, she knew the new girl aimed that at her, "people with purpose do not simply through their life away like some peasant."

Ty Lee watched as both girls coolly threw insults at each other, neither getting the advantage, "guys…" Ty Lee looked around and saw a ring of girls surround their group, "I don't think this is the place to fight." Azula and Mai finally stopped shooting daggers at each other with their eyes and turned their tension towards the other students in the girl's academy. The girls around the trio quickly dispersed, afraid to get their families on the Royal and Noblemen's bad side. Azula smirked when the last girl left, "they should learn to mind their own business." Mai simply nodded. Ty Lee wrapped her arms around her friends shoulders and pulled them into a tight hug, "see! I told you guys you would like each other!" Azula and Mai glared at each other but their expressions softened when they saw the sheer joy in Ty Lee's face. Both quickly escaped Ty Lee's hold, catching their breath from the bone breaking hug, "you need to watch your strength," Azula said, regaining her perfect posture. "You are stronger than you think, Ty Lee," Mai said with her monotone voice. Ty Lee couldn't help but giggle, her and Azula's first day in the Royal Academy for Girls was going great so far.

"A proper young lady _should _watch her strength," a dry voice came from behind the three girls. _'And I thought that boring girl had a dry voice,' _Azula thought to herself when she saw a tall women walking towards them with her tutor a few feet behind. The tall women had light brown hair tied in the typical Fire Nation bun, dark brown eyes, and sharp facial features. She was wearing a simple red robe with a black turtle neck, light red lipstick , and her posture resembled a board's. "I see you have taken the liberty of showing Azula the school, Mai," the woman's brown eyes turned to Ty Lee's older friend.

Ty Lee leaned into Azula and whispered, "She is the headmistress, 'Zula." Suddenly the woman turned to Azula and Ty Lee, "such behavior will not be tolerated here, Lee, your father and mother made that specifically clear." Ty Lee bowed her head, "sorry, Headmistress."

"Since it is your first day I will let it slide." Azula couldn't help but admire how Mai and Ty Lee feared the woman by her words alone. "Azula," the woman, taking her eyes of Ty Lee, "I expect nothing but perfection from you, considering how much your tutor has praised you." Azula bowed at the compliment, "thank you, Headmistress." The woman's lips curled to form a smile, "come, all of you, school will begin shortly."

All of the girls followed the woman, Azula couldn't help but noticed how her tutor kept looking at her and Ty Lee. The royal thought it was because Ty Lee was holding her hand and kept leaning towards her, _'maybe Father ordered her to keep an eye one me.'_

After they entered a large building, the Headmistress took them to the first years class room before walking Mai to the second years. The classroom resembled a large half circle with desks raising from the front of the class to the back. In the center of the class room was a large chalk board and a large desk of the side. "You and I get to sit in the front!" Ty Lee pulled on Azula's hand, guiding the bender down the stairs to the front of the classroom. _'Great, just where the teacher can see everything I do,' _Azula sighed and sat down on the closes seat near the board, she wasn't excited about her seat but knew people expected her to be the perfect student.

~X~

After the bell rang the room was quickly filled with the first year students, but the two rows behind Azula and Ty Lee remained empty. "People seat according to how much power their families have, 'Zula." Ty Lee said when she noticed Azula looking around. The royal also noticed just how empty the row they were on was, "that doesn't explain why everyone is avoiding us," Azula scuffed. "They are probably scared of you after they saw you and Mai fighting," Ty Lee bluntly replied. The royal felt a rush of power wash over her, _'people are easily scared.'_

After everyone was settled and a few minutes passed, the teacher came into the room. The teacher was a thin and tall man with a high cheek bones, brown eyes, and a topknot. He was wearing a crimson coat over a simple red vest and white shirt, loose pants, and pointed boots that curled upward, and was holding two books and papers with his left hand. "Welcome to the Royal Academy for Girls," he said as he walked down the rows, "the finest education establishment in the world, creating well rounded and proper young women for more than a hundred years."

"That's odd, why is he here?" Ty Lee commented when the man reached the teacher's desk and placed his books and papers on it, "he is in charge of making sure the Headmistress and teachers do not teach us the wrong things." Azula was about to say something when the man interrupted her, "is there something you would like to tell the class, Miss Lee?" The pink girl slid down her seat, "nothing…"

"Then I suggest you keep quiet," the man's voice was very smooth but stern, "I see we have royalty joining us this year." Azula didn't say anything, instead she just kept her straight posture. "Speak when you are spoke to by your superiors, child," the man snapped. Azula frowned before standing up, "I am Azula, daughter of Prince Ozai."

"Your Father ordered us to be a lot stricter on you since he has high expectations for you," the man said, "take your seat." Azula reluctantly sat down, _'just who does he think he is!' _

"I am Shou Tiao, but you will address me as Instructor Tiao. Before anyone asks any questions, I am substituting for your actual teacher for a certain amount of time." Shou Tiao noticed the empty seats around Azula, "I will count to ten and if the seats behind Azula are not filled I will make all of you copy the Academy's code on conduct!"

The girls quickly followed directions, moving in an organized patter until the seats behind the royal were filled and the ones near the entrance abandoned.

Tiao simply nodded and turned around, grabbing a piece of chalk and starting to write today's lesson.

Azula started reading what Tiao was writing when she felt someone tap her shoulder. Azula looked over her shoulder and saw a girl looking at her with brown eyes, "what do you want?" Azula asked, annoyed at the girl. "Are you a fire bender?" she asked. "Of course!"

"That explains a lot then," the girl smirked and crossed her arms, leaning back against her chair. Azula narrowed her eyes before turning around, _'idiot.'_

"It's okay, 'Zula, don't let them get to you…" Ty Lee said without taking her eyes off the board. "What do you mean?"

"They usually try and bully the girl they think is weak," Ty Lee looked down, showing Azula she had been bullied before. Azula balled her fists, turning her knuckles white, _'they think I am weak!' _The teacher started explaining what he wrote but Azula didn't pay attention, she just couldn't shake off the feeling of her father's angry eyes looking down at her for being considered weak by someone beneath her. "How do you know?" Azula asked, maybe Ty Lee was trying to stop her from making more friends, but the royal was not completely sure. "My parents throw a lot of parties and that girl and her friends usually come," the tone in Ty Lee's fueled the fire in Azula's chest. _'What kind of people would bully Ty?' _in Azula's mind she owned Ty Lee, if anyone was going to hurt the grey eyed girl it was going to be her. "Ty Lee, come to me if they ever bully you again," Azula commanded, Ty Lee was her doll and other's were trying to take her away. Ty Lee grabbed hold of Azula's hand underneath the table and smiled at the warmth, giving Azula a silent 'thank you'.

~x~

After Instructor Tiao's introduction lesson, explaining what was expected of the girl's and why it was important for them to be in the academy, the bell rang and the girl's were released for lunch. Ty Lee lead Azula through the school by holding her hand, making most of the girls and teachers glare at them.

Once they exited the large building Ty Lee was about to take the bender to the academy's cafeteria when they spotted Mai holding three lunch boxes. "Mai!" Ty Lee waved with a large smile, "let's go get the best spot before anyone else does!" The bored girl nodded and started walking towards a large tree next to one of the walls that protected the academy. "Why is that the best spot?" Azula asked, all she saw tree and grass instead of the white tiles that made up the rest of the open area. "Sitting under the shade the walls and tree make is a lot nicer than standing in the sun," Ty Lee replied. Azula pulled her arm away from Ty Lee, "I don't need you to pull me around anymore, Ty." A spec of hurt appeared in Ty Lee's face, but quickly faded like always, "okay, 'Zula!"

* * *

><p>"Time will be the determining factor, young prince," Shintao said with a neutral tone, he had enough of the egomaniac prince and was trying hard not to challenge or evoke him. "Yes," Ozai surprised Shintao, "she has shown such potential as she grows and there is no denying if she matures she will be great, but time is against me, with Azulon's health deteriorating and Iroh's success in the Earth Kingdom Azulon will pass the crown down to Iroh in no time." Shintao pinched but bridge of his nose, "and you want to mature Azula's powers faster, but why?"<p>

"Why?" Ozai looked at Shintao with a dark look in his eyes, "because then Azulon will see my blood is worthy of the crown! However, if impressing Azulon does not work I will simply skip that step. Agni has spoken to me and shown me a way to steal the Phoenix's power, with Azula's power I will show the world a force unmatched since the Avatar!" The water bender started grinding his teeth, "and just what makes you think Agni would share such a secret with you, Prince Ozai?"

"Because I will be his instrument for cleansing the world, I will become a god to the world as the Phoenix King!"

'_Those that try to becoming gods only burn when they get to close to the sun.' _Shintao stepped closer to Ozai, the air around his right hand turned cold, but stopped when he realized what he was going to do, "Agni is not like the other spirits, Prince Ozai, people often mistake their own needs and desires for his voice."

"What is the difference when I rule over the world!" Ozai spat.


	8. 8 Lu Ten

A/N: this is when the story becomes a lot darker.

* * *

><p>Large fires lit the night sky as the war machines and fire benders slowly destroyed a nameless village with a large population of earth benders, women, the elderly, and children.<p>

"Quickly! Create barriers to stop them!" yelled a Earth Nation man as the tanks and fire benders advanced towards the village center, "protect the children and women!"

"Fire at will," Iroh said to the men operating the catapults as earth benders raised large walls around the village to stop the Fire Nation. "Load up the explosive rounds, leave no building standing!" ordered a man more familiar with artillery and machines. Soldiers wearing their white masks, resembling a skull's face, quickly followed orders and loaded large barrels filled with explosive jelly on the catapults before setting them on fire.

The first prince watched as the barrels flew through the air, pass the barrier, and the orange glow when they exploded. The screaming of men and women filled the air right after the explosions, only to be followed by the catapults' gears churning and large chunks of the barrier falling to the ground.

Once there was a breach in the barrier, fire benders entered the village center, setting everything on fire. The masked soldiers set a building, containing women and children, on fire, their screaming and cries for help were drowned by the crackle of the flames and the sound of buildings crumbling.

~X~

Once the village was taken and the remaining Earth Nation villagers were rounded up, the Fire Nation soldiers made two earth benders create a large ditch outside of the village.

Iroh, hard and emotionless, watched from a distance as the villagers were blind folded, their hands tied, and made to get on the knees and face the ditch. "Most of them are women…" Iroh mumbled to himself when the archers came behind the villagers. "Ready!" yelled a faceless soldier. "Aim!" Iroh quickly moved his sight away from the execution. "Fire!"

This was now something very common for the Prince, innocent people being murdered for a patch of land, since he joined the front. With his guidance and strength the Fire Nation gained a large amount of land around the ultimate prize, Ba Sing Se. Victory was so close he could hear the walls crumble before his army.

Iroh walked through the village, avoiding any bodies since every time he saw one the thought of retrieving crept into his mind, something he could not do since he was close from doing something never thought possible. The prince suddenly heard the sound of glass breaking and looked down, spotting a small broken mirror under his boot. He picked up a shard and saw his eyes, they resembled a killer's, _'we're suppose to spread civilization, not spill blood of women and children…' _Iroh quickly stopped looking at his cold reflection when he saw his adviser behind him. "Such thoughts would displease Fire Lord Azulon, Prince Iroh." The man was generic looking, but his eyes resembled Iroh's and he always knew what the prince was thinking. "Well my father has never seen what technology can do, especially the explosive jelly." Iroh threw the shard on a pile of rubble that was once a house, "are we doing the right thing?" The advisor pondered the question, letting the sound of burning wood drown the both of them before answering, "that question is not for us to answer, Prince, it's for the future generations to. All we can do is try to make it the right answer. The victor writers history, not the ones that get crushed."

Iroh wondered for a moment, looking at his hands that were covered in invisible blood, "then we must be the victors, if the Earth Nation wins the war our children will see _we_ were the monsters, not the 'earth filth'. Get me a messenger bird, Lu Ten must come and experience war so when he takes the throne he will do the right things by knowing what wrongs his grandfather and father had done. Lu Ten must see that the fall of Ba Sing Se was necessary for him to further understand our role as the only civilized nation, he needs to know that sacrifices must be made in other to change everything around him."

* * *

><p>Ozai, Ursa, Zuko, and Azula were all kneeling down before Fire Lord Azulon, Lu Ten between the second branch and his grandfather. "Your Father has send for you, Lu Ten, he wants you to witness as the walls of Ba Sing Se crumble," Azulon smiled with pride, the true heirs of the throne were going to go down in history for taking the impenetrable kingdom. "It will be an honor to experience it along side my Father, Grandfather." Lu Ten felt a weight added on his chest, the thought of war alone made him scared, but the thought of disappointing his father and grandfather was greater.<p>

Ursa and Zuko couldn't help but smile at the thought of Lu The becoming a war hero, returning with tales of adventure and victory like his father, while Ozai and Azula had scowls on their faces. The way Azulon praised the first branch made Ozai grind his teeth, _'soon, very soon Iroh will take the crown!'_ Ozai looked at Azula, _'there most be away to slow down his progress until she is ready!' _Ozai clutched his hands into fists, turning his knuckles white without him knowing. Azula, on the other hand, was angry she had to come to some meeting that didn't concern her. Despite having perfect grades and above average bending, Ozai or Ursa had never praised her the way Lu Ten and Zuko were, Azula felt like they were rubbing salt on her wounds be having her be there. _'What makes them so special?' _Azula never showed her jealousy over Ursa's love for Zuko or Azulon's preference to Iroh and his son, she bottled her anger and jealousy inside until the emotions went away, but even Ozai seemed to start isolating her, only adding to the pressure building up inside. Ozai never really showed any love towards her, but the young royal knew his approval was a lot easier to get than Ursa's affection. _'I wonder how he doesn't run out of wind with his age?'_

Since Azula started school, Ozai became a lot harsher and often punished Azula for making a single mistake, even if it was a muscle twitch. Ursa seemed to stop trying to make any kind of connection with her daughter, leaving Azula hungry for parental guidance. Her hunger led Azula to seek Ozai's approval, something that rarely happened but seemed common compared to Ursa telling her she loved her. It wasn't that Ursa no longer loved Azula, she did, but she had given up trying to influence her to the right path since Zuko's need for his father's love was greater than Azula's need for a real parent. Without a warm and loving family, Azula's ideas turned dark since no one bothered to show her what was right and wrong. She never experienced a deep human connection with the people around her, even Ty Lee seemed hundreds of miles away when they were together.

"Prepare for you departure, Lu Ten, and remember to show no mercy!" With Iroh's success in the Earth Kingdom, Azulon felt better, though word of Ozai still caused him pain. Lu Ten bowed to Azulon then turned around to bow to his aunt and uncle before exiting the throne room.

"Azula," Azulon turned his aged eyes to his granddaughter, "show me what your father and mother have to offer!" Azula stood up and walked to where Lu Ten was standing and started bending.

~X~

After Azula had demonstrated her bending to her grandfather, the second branch left the throne room and retired to their rooms. Ozai seemed to be pleased along with Azulon, but Zuko just complained to Ursa that he wasn't learning as fast as Azula, Ursa simply calmed Zuko down and took him to get something to eat without even saying goodbye to Azula or Ozai.

Azula let out a growl as she threw a comb to the wall, breaking it like a twig. _'What does it take to make her notice me!' _Azula yelled in her head, she knew if she made too much noise someone was going to find her venting her anger towards Ursa and Zuko, _'he is a failure! Even Grandfather said I was better!' _The young royal took a deep breath and released a small puff of white flames out of her mouth. After a few minutes of repeating, Azula's anger quickly returned and made her throw another expensive object against the wall and break it. "I don't need them!" Azula grabbed anything close to her and set it on fire, "Father said I am not weak like them!"

Suddenly Azula felt something wet enter her lips. The fire bender quickly put out the flaming object in her hands and touched her face with her free hand, "what is this!" Azula threw the object out her window and traced the wetness back to her eyes. The royal had never cried, as far back as she could remember, so the foreign emotion shocked her.

The world around her turned cold and blue while the rage and crimson became voids that sucked everything in, Azula's chest became heavy and something in her stomach dropped. Azula stumbled back, using her hand as a guide until her fingers brushed against the expensive covers of her bed, and sat down. The bender looked at her reflection on the large mirror and saw the look on her face, her eyes where bloodshot and her jaw trembled, she resembled a maid who had just been 'fired' by her father or grandfather.

'_I-I am not weak!' _Azula told herself as she wrapped her arms around herself and laid back on her bed, _'I don't…I don't need them, her…I am stronger.'_

"Such weakness will not be tolerated!" Ozai's voice brought Azula back to the crimson. In a flash Ozai had grabbed Azula by her collar and threw her on the ground. Azula was about to wipe the tears that spilled on her face when her father threw her on the ground, but Ozai grabbed her hand before she made contact. Scared, Azula tried to pull her arm away from her father's grasp, making the prince lift her off her feet. With his free hand, Ozai grabbed Azula's jaw and made her look at him, "such weakness will not be tolerated!" Ozai brought his knee to Azula's stomach before letting go of her arm. Azula, scared out of her mind, crawled back only to have Ozai grab her ankle. "Mo-mom!" Azula cried as Ozai pulled her towards him. "I've told you before, there is nothing Ursa can do to help you!" The prince was about to hit Azula again when he saw the sadness of Azula's face turn to anger. Azula quickly took a deep breath and released a small plume of white fire aimed at him. Ozai quickly reacted and pulled Azula to the side, making the fire coming out of Azula's mouth missed him. "That's right, harness your wrath and discard weakness," Ozai released Azula's ankle. Azula slowly stood up, hesitating and anticipating for Ozai's next strike, but it never came. Once Azula was on her feet with her shoulders slumped and head down, admitting defeat, Ozai smirked, "you brought this on yourself, child, disgracing our blood like your brother."

Azula, seething with hatred towards her father, didn't respond, she let the hate boil inside to the point where her stomach started churning and her vision became blurry. "Do not rely on the weak for comfort for you will find none," Ozai looked over his shoulder, at Azula's door, "do you see your mother, brother, or anyone come for you?" The young bender shook her head, biting her lower lip as the world turned cold again. The prince scanned Azula's figure, conforming Azula's defeat, "one last thing, child." Azula looked up only to be hit hard on the side of the head by her father, knocking her out, "never turn your fire against me!"

* * *

><p>It was late, around ten at night, when Azula's doors where opened again. Lu Ten, who had been preparing for his departure and was going around telling his family members and the servants he befriended goodbye, entered the dark filled room. With a swift hand motion, Lu Ten lit the candle near Azula's bed, finding his cousin spread on the mattress. Slowly and carefully, Lu Ten closed the door and made his way to Azula's bed. He gently moved Azula's limbs closer to her body to a more comfortable position before sitting down on the edge.<p>

"If you can hear me, I want you to know I will miss you," Lu Ten whispered, "I know we are not the closes of relatives, I even feel like we are strangers, but I want you to know it was an honor spending time with aunt Ursa, Zuko, and you. Ursa had told me you don't like spending time with her, but I hope you realize what you really have." The prince watched Azula's sleeping face and smiled when he noticed how she was starting to look like her mother, "you may not want to spend time with her, something I would do anything to do with my own mother, but you are extremely lucky to have such a loving and carrying mother. I've heard Ozai call her weak, but don't listen to him, even if he is your father." His eyes lit up when Azula turned towards him, "please, please don't let Ozai get in your head, you have such potential to be great, it would be a shame if you let Ozai be the end of you."

After a few minutes of silence, the prince let out a sigh, "Ty Lee cares a lot about you, she easily forgives you for everything you have done to her, Azula. You can't get that from just anyone. I may not really know you or her very well, but I've seen how she looks at you with those big grey eyes, like a love struck pup. Heh, I have someone very especial too, though grandfather would disapprove since she is a servant." Lu Ten stood up and put out the candle he lit up, "I am just rambling on about something you are too young to understand, what I really came here to say is…I hope I see you again, in a few months or years, I want to see what becomes of you and your little friend." The prince walked to the door and slowly opened it, "goodbye, Azula."

Lu Ten exited and closed Azula's room, heading straight to the carriage waiting for him outside of the palace. Since Lu Ten was royal he had to leave the nation in secret, incase spies from the other nations lived in the island, tonight was the last time people were going to see him in the palace.

A few hours passed until Azula opened her eyes. The bender gasped for air and sat up, cold sweat coated her neck and forehead. The royal turned her head from side to side, scanning the room for any intruders, but not really seeing anything. Images of Ozai physically hurting her flashed in her mind, making the young girl rub the side of her head, "was it a dream?" The images faded and became distorted before Azula could fully remember what happened, all she could recall were images that seemed to be part of a nightmare. The world was blue and red became black, sadness quickly turned into anger and Azula did something unthinkable, she actually created fire to attack her father. Ozai seemed to come out of no where and left just as fast it could have not been real.

"It-it has to be…" Azula shook her head and jumped off her bed. Despite Azula constantly telling herself she wasn't weak, she still felt her knees shake at the thought of enraging her father. The bender entered her bathroom and lit the candle in front of the mirror and sink, turning her head to see if she could see any bruise or blood where Ozai had hit her. "There's nothing…" Azula whispered, she gathered her thoughts and quickly raising her shirt. Azula's golden eyes couldn't spot a single bruise or irritated skin where Ozai's knee made contact, "but it seemed so real."

Azula returned to her bed, unconsciously putting out the candle in her bathroom, with numb feet and a tingling sensation on the back of her head. "It was just a dream, Father would never hurt me, I am more valuable to him than Zuko," Azula said to herself until she feel a sleep, she had never been scared like she was today.

* * *

><p>AN: This is one of the chapters that I cannot write it the way i wanted.


	9. 9 Alkoa

A/N: For some reason this site did not save the edits I made in Doc Manager and I didn't noticed until I re-read it, the chapter should be tolerable now.

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><p>"I've told you before, <em>Prince<em> Ozai, using my buildings and workers to create your precious machines is out of the question!" said the head of the Lee family. Ozai slammed his fist on the table next to him, "there is no need for your temper, Ozai," Lee said before Ozai could yell at him.

Both men were in a nearly empty room inside the palace. There was no furniture, except the table and chairs near the two men and the velvet banners that covered parts of the walls.

"If the tension between our families is finally unleashed, both of us will lose everything. Using my workers to build your weapons might push us over the edge." Ozai turned away from Ty Lee's father and let out his frustration in the form of a stream of white flames, setting a banners on fire. "Such anger, why?" Ozai put out the fire with a single hand motion and turned around, "Anger is cheap, anything can cause it, it is a nearly limitless resource," the second prince wiped the sweat off his brow. "You've changed a lot since our days in the academy, Ozai."

"I grew up, Lee, I realized that dreams and hopes are pointless unless you have the power to fulfill them."

"Is that why you hate your wife, son, and daughter?" Lee asked, unmoving and quiet compared to the second prince. "I don't hate them, they're part of the reason why I am trying to get the upper hand. I want my name above everyone else and my family to have to answer to no one, but it frustrates me how limited their view of reality really is. They are blinded by the illusion that makes them weak, though Azula is slowly seeing the truth."

"And what truth is that!" Lee snapped, "that wrath is power and real emotions are weak? You are poisoning and pushing her to the brink of self destruction and madness, she is a child and you should treat her like one, not some weapon to sharpen and discard when you are done with." Lee closed his eyes and start breathing, trying to calm his nerves, "listen well, Ozai, you need to stop this conquest for power-"

"How dare you speak to your prince like that!" Ozai finally snapped, getting ready to strike down the head of the Lee family. "You are no prince of mine!" Lee said as the second prince extended his fist towards him, Lee quickly grabbed Ozai's wrist and pointing his fist upwards. Ozai cocked his free arm back as the fireball that came out of his fist hit the wall. "You and I both know you can't beat me, even with your bending," Lee said as he brought his knee to Ozai's chest, a second before Ozai was able to do any other attack. The bender stumbled back once Lee released his wrist and kicked him on his chest. "Are you done?" Lee asked, straightening out his sleeves. Ozai scowled, but regained his balance. "You rely on your brute force too much, Ozai," the non-bender sat on one of the chairs. "Ty Lee seems to like your daughter a lot, surely you must be at least content knowing our agreement still stands."

"Both are females, our agreement was meant for Azula and your son, but you got seven daughters instead." Ozai nearly shouted, still mad about their skirmish. "Does that matter? My Ty doesn't seem to, I bet your daughter doesn't either. I've read reports from the girls academy that mentioned that Azula doesn't get a long with others but Ty and a politician's daughter."

"I do not care who or what she likes, if they do unit our families the union will still dishonor the Royal Family by breaking the tradition of male and female marriage. I would rather she doesn't get married than to dishonor us."

"Is that why you are trying to force Ty to spend a lot of time with Zuko, you want them to fall in love or at least get used to each other before you convince me they should marry instead of Ty and Azula?"

Although Ozai was itching to beat Lee to death, he had to hold back his anger. The Lee Family was second to the Royal Family and it's head was more than a match for the second prince, killing him would be a real task, not to mention how hard it would be to keep his death a secret. The Lee name was well known and more people knew how the Lee family looked since they family traveled often, so a murder would make people question what happened and even question the Royal Family. _'He is just too well known and powerful to take down,' _Ozai thought to himself before replying, "no, falling in love has no role in this, they simply needs to get used to each other-"

"You fail to realize you offered you daughter's hand, not the other way around," Lee smirked, "I have control over what happens. However, if Ty does fall in love with Zuko I will not stop her from doing what she wants. It's up to your 'failure' to win your battle, but if I hear Ty is forced to spend time with him I will make sure your family suffers."

"We will see about that when I become the Fire Lord, Lee." Ozai said before standing up and leaving the room.

"Hatred only breeds hatred, Ozai, once the rest of your family open their eyes and breaks the ties binding them to you they will be the end of you, especially your little prodigy, she will do what you have taught her."

* * *

><p>~A Day Later~<p>

Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai were all sitting under the tree's shadow in the school, eating their lunch, when four girls walked up to them. Azula could only recognize one of the girls, the one that asked her if she was a bender on her first day of school.

"So what's the deal with you two?" the girl pointed at Azula and Ty Lee, "are you two married or something?" The royal was about to say something when Ty Lee stood up, "so what if we are? Is there a problem with that!" For the first time, Ty Lee finally stood up for herself by imitating Azula's bold and aggressive personality, though she didn't like it. Mai simply smirked, it had been a while since she saw a fight, but most of all she wanted to see what the famous 'royal prodigy' could do. Azula stood up beside Ty Lee and tried to cross her arms, but something was holding one of her arms. The royal looked down and saw Ty Lee had a firm grip on her hand, their fingers laced together. Azula suddenly realized how often Ty Lee would take her hand, it was something so common she didn't notice it when she was eating or when she stood up. "Go back where you came from and learn to respect your superiors!" Azula spat as she pulled her arm away from Ty Lee's. The noblemen's daughter looked hurt, without Azula's warm hand she felt cold and alone, but kept a stern face so the other girls wouldn't see her weakness. "So let me guess…you are the husband," the girl pointed at Azula then at Ty Lee, "and you are the wife?" The girl smirked when she saw the blank expression form on Ty Lee's face, "so a girl lover is superior than us? You have to be joking!" The other girls laughed.

"Girl lover?" Azula asked herself, she had never heard the term before. "A girl who likes another girl more than she should," Mai said with a bored expression, she already knew there wasn't going to be a fight. Azula narrowed her golden eyes, having something tarnish her perfect reputation really shortened her fuse, "leave now before I have your family vanished!"

"Come on girls, we wouldn't want to catch their sickness!" the leader of the girls said before walking away.

Once the other group was gone, Azula and Ty Lee sat down again, only this time Azula moved away from the pink covered girl. "Ty Lee, don't ever hold me hand again," Azula ordered her friend. "Why?" Ty Lee quickly asked with a confused look in her face. "Listen!" Azula stood up again and grabbed Ty Lee by her collar, "don't ever grab my hand again or else!" The Lee member felt water form in her eyes, she had seen Azula's dark side but never experienced it herself. Azula shook her, "understand!" Ty Lee nodded, making the tears in her eyes roll down her cheeks. Azula pushed Ty Lee against the tree when she released her collar before turning and walking away.

Mai froze when she saw Azula grab Ty Lee's collar, only to regain her movement after the royal had stormed off. She quickly went to Ty Lee's side and rubbed her back, "are you okay?" Ty Lee was crying, her knees felt weak and her entire body felt cold, "Y-y-yeah…" she said through gasps for air. "I told you you shouldn't have befriended her!" there was concern and anger in Mai's voice, "look at you…she is bad for you, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee wrapped her arms around Mai's neck and started crying harder. "Relax, do you want to go to the doctor's office?" Mai asked, helping her friend stand up. "I-I want to see Azu-"

"No!" Mai interrupted the usually bubbly girl, " you are going to stay away from her for a while." Mai noticed other student's look at them and browned, "what are you looking at!" The other student's were so used to Mai's calm and passive attitude it shocked them to see her yell, making them look or walk away.

~X~

Azula entered the girl's restroom and quickly ran to a sink, turning it on and splashing her face with water. The royal placed her hands in the running water, watching as the heat coming from her hands made steam. _'It only takes something insignificant to ruin my reputation!' _the thought of what punishment her father had for dishonoring herself and the royal family made Azula bite her lip. _'I am letting my guard down around Ty…if those idiot girls have the courage to stand up to me, I will be a laughing stock in no time! I have to do something!' _Azula thought a few seconds when she remember the look on Ty Lee's eyes as she agreed to stop holding her hand, _'I have to make them fear me! All of them!' _The sound of something bubbling pulled Azula away from her thoughts and made her look down, the water that touched her hands was boiling. "Ouch!" Azula quickly pulled her hands away from the sink, she had lost control of the heat around her hands and the boiling water stung her, giving her hands a light shade of a pink. She studied both sides of her hands and balled them into fists, the stinging sensation was enough to make her flinch, but it was not something she wasn't used to. Ozai usually made her practice fire bending techniques that were too advance for her age and sometimes Azula would lose control of her fires and they would give her light burns, lucky for her they weren't severe enough to actually hurt her or leave scars. "I am going to need medicine for my hands," Azula turned off the water and walked out of the restroom before heading to the doctor's office.

~X~

When Azula entered the doctor's office she was told to sit down on the bench outside by a woman with very plain clothes and looks, Azula was about to order the woman to bring the bench inside but decided not to since she felt she would strain her voice if she yelled.

The doctor's office was split into three sections: the firs part was where people waited, the second was the actual office, and the third was filled with beds for the sick, a few taken while most were empty. The number of beds made Azula wonder if the kids got sick often or if the academy was prepared for some kind of attack. It was an ideal target, a few guards were posted there and the land that connected the royal capital and academy was big enough for an army. To take her mind off the idea of an attack, Azula looked down at her own hands and noticed the burns were nearly gone, it didn't shock her but the time she wasted waiting for the doctor annoyed her.

"Sorry for the wait, Azula," the doctor said as he left his office, "but the paper work it takes to treat someone is murder." Azula nearly lost her balance when she saw a water tribe man walk towards her. The doctor had dark skin, compared to Azula, brown hair fashioned into a topknot, light blue eyes, and a small smile. "So what seems to be the problem?"

"I have burns in my hands," Azula replied, opening her hands so the doctor could see. The man analyzed the limb and chuckled, "nothing to worry about." The doctor ordered the woman that told Azula to wait to bring a bowl of water from the sink near the beds.

"You must have some questions about me, Azula," the man said to Azula. "Why is a water tribe member here?" Azula asked without hesitation. "Well…the story is too personal, so I'll simplify it, I am here to heal the future of the Fire Nation noble class, in return I get to stay here, where the war isn't being fought." Azula knew too well outsiders weren't welcome, considering her father's words when he spoke of the other nations, "is that why there are guards outside? To make sure you don't hurt us instead of heal us?" The doctor sighed, "yes, you are very smart, Azula. My name is Alkoa, if you are wondering, I am a water bender."

"If you are a healer then why are you called a doctor?" Azula's mind was flooded with question, she had never seen a real water bender or known one by name. "Because the Fire Nation doesn't want children to know that water benders can do good," Alkoa replied, something about Azula made him feel like he could tell her the truth, not some lie the other children got. Before Azula could ask another question, the woman returned with the bowl of water, "ah, please follow me into my office, Azula." Azula jumped off the bench and followed the two adults inside.

Alkoa took the bowl from the woman and put it on a small table near a bigger patted table, "please put your hands in the water, Azula." Azula hesitated, eyeing the bowl of water for a few seconds, before dipping her hands in the water. Alkoa closed his eyes and focused on the water, making the liquid swirl in a slow pace. Azula's curiosity got the best of her and pulled her hands away, only to be amazed when she saw the water move with her hands. "There's no need to worry, if I hurt you I get punished," Alkoa said without opening his eyes. Azula was tempted to try and create a flame inside the swirling water, but decided not to since it might back fire. Slowly, the slight stinging sensation was soothed by the cool water until it was gone. "There," Alkoa opened his eyes and bended the water back into bowl. "Thank you," Azula said without thinking in a low voice. The royal bowed to Alkoa, ready to leave, when Alkoa cleared his throat, "you wouldn't know a…" Alkoa grabbed a clipboard near him with a sign in sheet, "Lee, Ty?" Azula froze, Ty Lee's name alone angered her for potentially ruining her reputation. The royal grabbed the sides of her pants, "why?" she said through gritted teeth. "She needs an escort back to class," Alkoa raised his eyebrow when he noticed Azula's knuckles turn white, "I can get some one-"

"No, I'll do it," despite having negative emotion towards her friend right now, Azula thought running away from her problem would make her weak, _'I am not Zuko!'_

"Very well then, she is sleeping in the farthest bed," there was a pity in his voice, "she came here crying and cried herself to sleep, something must have really hurt her, so try to be gentle when you wake her up, okay?."

~X~

Azula watched Ty Lee as she sleep, analyzing her irritated eye lids and trembling lips, "weak…" For some strange reason Azula sat on the edge of the bed Ty Lee was on and touched her face, tracing her hair line and cheeks with her middle and forefinger, "if Ozai was your father he would have vanished you a long time ago." When Azula realized what she was going she got off the bed, but her eyes never left the girl. Ty Lee seemed so sad, even with her big grey eyes that showed all of her emotion shut, _'it's almost…unnatural to see her sad.' _

"I am sleeping, 'Zula…" Ty Lee whispered, "like when we pretended in the palace." Azula nearly jumped when Ty Lee started whispering, but realized it was just another game for hers, "let's go to class, Ty."

"No," Ty Lee opened her bloodshot eyes, "you hurt me, 'Zula, I am not going anywhere with you." A scowl formed in the royal's face, "so, it's not the first time!"

"But this time you got mad over something stupid," Azula could see more tears form, "s-something I liked to do too!" Azula couldn't understand what she heard, for the first time someone admitted to actually enjoyed doing something her, the warmth in her chest that was slowly getting bigger irritated her, it felt suffocating, but at the same time made her feel good. "I-I liked it too," it was hard to admit she liked doing something with someone else, "but if…but if my father gets word that I am not perfect I might get punished."

"Then go to Lady Ursa, I am sure she will protect you." Ty Lee bluntly said, she had not seen the way Ursa brushed Azula off every time they were together. It hurt Azula to hear she needed help from someone she considered weak, "Ursa cannot help me, she never has or will."

"Azula…" Ty Lee wiped the remaining tears in her eyes off, "a mother would always help her child."

"Enough!" Azula snapped, "we cannot hold hands anymore, what's so hard to understand?"

"Why do you care so much what others think of you?"

"Because-" Azula felt a lump form in her throat, interrupting her, "because I cannot have something so small ruin me, father wouldn't approve." The fear in Azula's voice made the pink girl look down, "alright…but you have to do something for me to make up for yelling at me in front of everyone."

"And what would that be?" Azula crossed her arms, "anything but holding hands."

"A sleep over!" Ty Lee's smile returned and any trace of sorrow was gone, "and a real one, not the one where we stop playing at sunset and where I have to sleep in a guest room."

"Alright," Azula sighed, she thought Ty Lee wanted some priceless jewelry or be made a royal guard. Ty Lee lunged at Azula and gave her a big hug. "Happy?" Azula hugged her back when she noticed no one was looking at them. "Very! Let's go to class!" Ty Lee's perky attitude was back with full force, bringing a smile to Azula's lips.


	10. 10 Xian

A/N: Sorry for the very late update, but things came up that took most of my time.

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><p>The sun had fallen and the full moon brightened the dark skies as people in a small Earth Nation village retired for the day. Shintao and The Master were with two other men at the village's edge.<p>

"It seems that the line between us and humans was not fully erased," Shintao said as he watched one of his subordinates try to blood bend the other in a full moon, "even with the full moon out, I am sure most humans will never reach the level of the first benders." The Master raised his eyebrow when he saw the water bender couldn't even gather water from the air, "Yes, that was the point of removing the root, to give back the human desire to advance, not to give humanity the power to further destroy themselves, at least not yet. It's all very complicated to explain, all you needs to know is that humans will no longer need to follow the spirits for they will learn how to take care of themselves."

"But won't humans discover the subclasses of bending?"

"Only the basics, some humans today have already discovered one."

"Lightning," the word dripped with hatred when it came out of Shintao's mouth, "what about the Fire Nation? Haven't they advanced before the root was removed?"

"A select few have the ability and mental strength to push back the Spirits' influence, most of the Fire Nation has not advanced because they are blindly doing what they are ordered to do. It is the few that invented the machines of war and the blind who are using them."

"Sheep-pigs dressed in red and gold," Shintao grinned. "Tell me, Shintao," The Master turned his pale green eyes at Shintao, "how is little Azula doing?"

"A phoenix, having both dragon and human souls in a single body, is suppose to be raised and nurtured so they're anger cannot overwhelm the host and put it in a state of bloodlust, her pathetic mother and self-absorbed father are doing the exact opposite, but her will power seems to be strong enough to push back the beast."

"She harbors nearly all of the negative emotions, for someone so young, it must be driving the beast insane."

"You have no idea!" Shintao felt excited to see just how monstrous Azula was going to become, "it will be a true honor to fight against something less, yet more, than a regular phoenix!"

"Now, Shintao, you can't just kill a child, we are not Sozin's men, you will have your fight if you wait."

Shintao turned and lowered his upper body towards his master, "yes, I am sorry for speaking in such a manner."

"There's no need to act so formal, Shintao, times like that are over."

"It's a force of habit," Shintao straighten himself, "it's something I cannot control," the smirked formed again in his face. "You better make sure you can control yourself, Shintao, or else you'll stray."

"There's no need to worry, Xian, times like that are over," Shintao repeated Xian's words. Xian narrowed his eyes when he heard Shintao's reply, "worse are coming."

"And the sky turned red with the blood of the fallen as Agni's hand of judgment destroyed the wicked and rebuilt a new world order," Shintao quoted one of the many higher level Fire Nation history books, "only to be destroyed by the earth itself. More or less, that myth is little hard to remember."

Shintao and Xian both turned around and started walking towards a small hut, the last in a row of buildings. "What about your men, Shintao?" Xian said without looking at the water bender as they walked parallel to each other. "They are ordered to try and bloodbend until the sun rises," Shintao looked at a woman and man as they closed their home's door, the building next to their destination, "they will not do anything else."

Once they reached the small hut, Xian stopped and closed his eyes before swiping his right foot to the left. The earth in front of the door suddenly opened up, revealing a tunnel with stairs that led underground. "What a pathetic place, we should be planning in Omashu instead of _this_!" Shintao said as he walked down the tunnel. Xian quickly sealed the entrance and followed Shintao, "not enough blood has spilled on Omashu for me to stay there for long, you know the rules the Spirits put in place for us."

"And I can't be near the sea or else I will be dragged into the abyss," Shintao sighed, he could barely remember how it felt to be in his element. "We will only be here for a day or two, Shintao," Xian added as they traveled down the tunnel.

Both men entered a small room filled with books, maps, and strange relics. Green crystals on the four upper corners of the room bathed the small lair with light, reveling other entries to the rest of the underground hideaway. Xian didn't hesitate to go to a table in the middle of the room that had a map marked with Xs on it, "the prisoner has been praying on villagers in one of the colonies," Xian said as he pointed at a X. "What was her name…" Shintao asked himself before the memories came flooding in, "Hama…how does this concern us? She can barely blood bend let alone harm us."

"There is no worry for the time being, but we just need to keep a careful eye on her, she might…spread her knowledge. Most people will not be able to bloodbend, but if that knowledge does reach someone that can, before the beast is woken up, it might pose a threat."

Shintao was about to reply when he realized what Xian was talking about, "how much more?"

"The spirits are very late since they can't see what we are doing, but a lot more than we anticipated."

"Those Xs aren't attacks, are they? You've been busy while I was with Prince Ozai."

"Not the best of duties or something I enjoy, but there can't be others, our time is over."

Shintao rushed to the table and started counting the Xs in the maps, all of them scattered at random places, "there's more than thirty, the Spirits must have gotten wind about the Phoenix!"

"Yes…" Xian picked up a random relic and examined it, "but they can't do anything to stop us."

"The only one we need is Azula, the rest can burn," Shintao's eyes scanned the Fire Nation in the map, "two left…"

"Be careful, Shintao, you sound just like the Fire Nation."

* * *

><p>"<em>With the shadows and knowledge in your side there is no way you can lose!" A deep and soothing voice said from behind Xian. The Master looked straight forward, though there was nothing to see but darkness, "I am humbled to have him on our side." <em>

"_Yes," Xian could feel something pointy gently touch his neck, "all of our work will bring the Spirits to their knees!" Suddenly, the being put pressure on Xian's neck, "you will avenge your people and I will teach the Spirit's the consequences for disrupting the balance!"_

"_Revenge is not what I am looking for," Xian grabbed the thing pricking his neck and pulled away, "like knowledge, I want people to advance, but I want them to advance to the point where they no longer need the spirits."_

"_You put a lot of trust in humanity, Xian, how can you so sure?"_

"_Arrogance, the believe they are above everything, and their desire to steal the Spirits' power." _

"_You make no sense, Xian, even to me…"_

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><p>~Fire Nation~<p>

Mai and Ty Lee watched Azula approached them as they ate their school lunch. Mai stood up and waited for Ty Lee to do the same, only to be infuriated when Ty Lee got up and walked towards Azula. "Ty Lee, come here!" Mai ordered her best friend, she usually ordered Ty Lee through different words but she needed Azula to see just how much she hated her for making Ty Lee cry. "It's okay, Mai," Ty Lee said sheepishly, hiding behind Azula, "Azu-"

"I can handle this," Azula calmly interrupted her friend, earning more hatred towards her from Mai, "let her talk! She doesn't need you to talk for her." Azula bit the inside of her lip, "I-I am sorry for hurting Ty's feelings," there was shame and regret in her words, but Mai knew it was shame from apologizing and regret for having to do so. The politician's daughter looked at Ty Lee and crossed her arms, "come with me, Azula, ALONE!"

"What if that idiot girl comes back to hurt Ty?" Azula instantly asked, she knew the girl saw Ty Lee cry before and wanted to rub salt on the pink girl's wounds. Mai let out a sigh, her friendship with Ty Lee was a lot stronger than the negative emotions she felt towards Azula, "fine."

Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai quickly made their way to the school building, no one said a word and Azula and Mai kept their sight away from each other's. Ty Lee, scared her two friends were about to fight, stayed a few steps behind them, she didn't want to add to the friction between the two. Mai speed up and guided them towards an empty room, "Ty Lee, stay out here and say something if you see your bully come towards you," she ordered without ever taking her eyes off Azula.

Mai entered the room and waited for Azula to follow before she slammed the door. _'I am sorry for this, Ty,'_ Mai took a deep breath, _'but someone needs to put her on her place!'_

"Who do you think you are!" Mai shouted, creating a blank expression on the royal's face, "do you think you're the next heir to the throne to be able to treat people like you treated Ty Lee!" Azula stepped back, hitting a table with her lower back, no one had ever talked to her in such a manner. Before Azula could retaliate, Mai started up again, "your pathetic family will never become like the first branch, so there's no reason to act so high and mighty like you already have the Fire Lord's crown on your head!"

"What do you want me to do? I said I was sorry!" Azula quickly replied. "That doesn't matter! You hurt her and say 'I'm sorry' and suddenly you act like nothing happened! You can't just do that, your not true royalty!" Azula gritted her teeth, she was raised like a royal and didn't have to be treated this say, "what about you? You're the daughter of a nobody and I am the daughter of a prince! You have no right to talk to me like that!"

"I don't care if you are royalty, I will stand up to you if you hurt people I care about!" Azula lowered her shoulders in defeat, she would also do the same for Ty lee, even if she was a peasant and Mai was a royal. "If you ever hurt her like that again I will make sure you suffer, _princess…_" Mai threatened. "If you take her away from me I will make _you _suffer," Azula whispered, surprised at just how low her voice was.

A sudden silence alerted Ty Lee that Mai might have attacked Azula with one of her knifes, making her open the door and search inside. The pink girl let out a sigh of relief when she found Mai looking into space with her arms crossed and Azula leaning against a desk with her eyes on the ground. "Are you guys done…?" Ty Lee resembled a tiny creature, she was still scared of being yelled at. Both girls nodded without saying anything or looking at each other. Ty Lee walked between her friends and grabbed their hands closes to her, "then let's go get more food, I'm still hungry."

"You already ate, Ty Lee," Mai commented before Ty Lee starter dragging her and Azula towards the door. "She can eat with me," Azula replied once Ty Lee dragged them out of the school building. "Good idea, I am not _that _hungry or big," the bright smile both dark haired girls treasured returned like it had never left, making both girls regret having to yell at each other with her near by.

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><p>AN: the next chapter should be up faster than this one, if nothing comes up.


	11. 11 Spirits

A/N:

Response to Rioshix's review on chapter 9: Ozai seems like the kind of guy that doesn't care about what Azula does,as long as she does what he orders her and doesn't dishonor him.

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><p><em>We never paid any heed to the Spirits' warnings.<em>

"Filth, you will pay for everything your wretched kind has done!" yelled a water bender as he started moving his arms in circular patterns. A earth bender smirked, "as you wish, savage!" Both of them charged at each other, the water bender launched ice shards that he created out of the water in the air while the earth bender stopped and put his right arm in front of him before he lowered and raised it, the earth around him rose and created a shield that stopped the shards before they reached him.

_Like fools we clung to the old hatreds and fought as we had for generations._

Both men, now exhausted from hours of fighting and using their powers, waited for the next move to come from the other, panting and grabbing the wounds on their stomach and chest. "You may have come first and killed most of the monks, but you cannot beat us!" yelled the water bender. "We did what was needed!" replied the earth bender.

_Until the day the sky rained fire, and a new enemy came upon us._

"The moon has spoken, your kind is the threat to the world!" the water bender raised his right arm and reached towards the sky, gathering all of the water from the air around him. "Humanity needs to be enslaved to be protected, we are simply doing what the spirits created us for!" the earth bender stomped his right foot on the ground, making a spear out of stone come out.

Unknown to them, the sky slowly turned orange and red as balls of fire were hurled from the heavens to the earth.

With enough water was gathered, the water bender lowered his right arm and started making circular shapes with both hands, making the large orb of water freeze. Suddenly, the orb was thrown between them, shattering into hundreds of shard that went at every direction. The water bender lunged at the earth bender, bending the shards coming towards him to turn around and go straight for the earth bender. The earth bender simply stomped his left foot and raised his left hand, creating a shield of earth that came up and protected him from the shards. Once there was an opening the earth bender grabbed the weapon with his free hand and threw it at the water bender who dodged it with ease. The earth bender smirked and took control of the weapon, making it stop in mid air and turn towards the water bender's back before launching it by swiping his left arm to the side.

Before the weapon impaled the water bender, there was an explosive crash a few yards from both of them, making the earth bender lose focus and control of the weapon. Both men looked at each other, ready to attack again, when they heard a loud roar come out of the fiery creator. The water and earth benders stepped away as they saw hands grab on to the edge of the creator and pull a being out.

_We stand now, near our end, for the wrath of Agni has come at last_

The bodies of the water and earth benders laid parallel of each other in a pool of water created by the melted shards of ice. The clear water reflected the fires of the first fire benders as both of the men's blood turned the water red.

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><p>"Today, we will be learning about the first beings that could bend this world's elements to their will," said the Fire Nation history teacher to the daughters of the noble class.<p>

Azula and Ty Lee sat next to each other like the first day in class, only this time they kept their distance. Despite Ty Lee's affections towards the fire bender, she knew she didn't want to face Azula's wrath again, _'it's a shame 'Zula has a bad side, it really makes her look less pretty than usual.' _Ty Lee formed a smile when she remembered tomorrow was their sleep over, _'but at least she apologized to Mai a few days ago, I wonder if Mai is still mad.' _The pink clothed girl let out a sighed and rested her chin on her hands, she didn't like it when people fought, especially when it had to do something with her, but she knew she had the ability to sooth what problem the fiery and dark girls had, which made her smile grow even bigger.

"In the beginning, before the Fire Nation, humans were able to use what is called 'Mana', most commonly known today as Chi," the teacher turned around and drew a large circle with the word 'MANA' in the middle, "but the savages fought each other for dominance, spreading chaos and despair throughout what is now the Earth Nation." The teacher created a crude drawing of the four nations besides the large circle. "A few, and very powerful, humans got the idea that maybe they could stop the violence by taking away everyone else's ability to control Mana."

Azula, bored out of her mind, rested her right elbow on her desk and put her chin on her palm, leaning against it for support, _'I can be training right now…but what's the point? Father is hard to please and Ursa doesn't care. But seeing Zuko's face when I can do something he can't is priceless.' _Azula smirked, she found great pleasure comparing herself to her older brother, even though she was younger and a female everyone seemed to value her more than him, but no one that really mattered to her. Ozai, knowing now that Azula will not do anything he considered wrong, put his attention into Zuko's development. Lee's worlds stuck to Ozai like explosive jelly, Zuko needed to show everyone Ozai was able to turn a failure into something to be proud of by any means since Azula already proved he could create something 'perfect'. Not to mention that if Ozai did take the throne and crown, Zuko would be his heir, he had to mold his mind like he did with Azula so when Zuko gets to be the Fire Lord he will not undo everything Ozai made. Then there was the possibility that if Azula was given the throne she wouldn't be able to bare children after her 'awakening', if Shintao was right, all of his hard work to secure the throne would only last his lifetime and Azula's, then some general or lost relative would become the Fire Lord or Phoenix King, if Ozai somehow managed to take over the world.

"The few humans consumed most of the world's energy, drawing the attention of the 'Spirits'. Enraged that the few powerful humans defied their will, this divine beings destroyed them on the spot, but no matter what they did they could not give humanity their ability to freely control their Chi."

The royal let out a yawn when she noticed a small paper ball land on her desk and nearly fall of the edge, but she quickly grabbed it and undid it. In the paper was a smudge image and writing that were too blurry to read or see. The royal turned around and saw the girl from before smirking and nudging at the girls on her sides. "Next time wait for the ink to dry," Azula balled the paper and lit it on fire before throwing it under the girls desk. "Azula!" Ty Lee gasped when she saw a small flame on the girls shoes. The girl quickly put out the flame before it could spread and furrowed her brow, "what in Agni's name do you think you are doing, fre-" She froze when she saw the dark look in Azula's eyes. "Next time you disrespect me, I will do the same to you face," the royal's golden eyes scanned the girls behind the bully, "that goes for all of you, understand!"

"Silence!" the teacher's voice made all of the girls look at him, "I will not tolerate people talking during a lecture, such manners will not tarnish this academy's reputation. If I hear anything else out of you I will write you down!" All of the girl's froze except Azula, she already knew any rules or warnings didn't apply to her. "Good," the teacher turned around and resumed his lectured.

To make sure her threat really got to the girls, Azula turned around an pointed her index finger at the bully, unleashing a tiny plume of fire that didn't even reach the girls desk, but did scare her. "You shouldn't spread fear, 'Zula," Ty Lee whispered, recently she noticed people started linking her to Azula, at first she didn't mind but now Azula was getting the 'royal' reputation, which she thought would hurt her chances of making anymore friends. "People need to be put in their place, Ty Lee," Azula said without looking at her friend, "or else they get they idea they can push those superior around."

"The Spirits found that some of the beasts in the world had a trace of the ability to control Chi, but only for their surroundings." The teacher wrote down 'Badgermole' and 'Sky Bison'. "But the Spirits saw the darkness of the savages as they planned to use the beasts to give them back power, everywhere the human's walked on turned crimson. After they had seen enough, the Spirits infused badgermoles' spirits with humans at birth. They created hundreds of them and gave them the task of protecting humanity from itself."

Azula suddenly realized how dark this lecture was for children, _'If girls are learning this I wonder what the boys are being taught.'_ The urge to speak to her father and request to be taught what the boys were taught found itself in Azula, she wasn't afraid or weak minded like the rest of the girls. Suddenly Azula heard the sound of a wooden surface being scratched and looked down, she had been scratching the same spot while she was thinking about being thought of something lesser then what she really was. The royal studied her hand and noticed that her nails were sharper and longer than she remember, though she didn't really worried about such useless things. Azula rubbed her nails against her thumbs, testing how sharp they were, before putting her hands down on her desk, _'useless servants, they didn't file them down enough, don't they know I might hurt myself?'_ Azula almost laughed at the thought of something so small actually hurting her.

* * *

><p>-Part Two-<p>

~Morning (Next Day)~

There had been a time where the second branch of the Royal Family had actually acted like a real family.

"_Alright, Zuko, it's almost ready," Ursa gave her first born a warm smile as he kept his hand on a wet circular slab of clay, both waiting for it to dry. "Can I move now, mama?" Zuko asked, he had been waiting for a few minutes, which seemed like hours to him, for the mold of this hand to finally be ready. The young boy's legs hurt since he was in a awkward potion, half kneeling and supporting himself with his free hand, since he couldn't wait for his mother to place the mud slab on a table. "It's almost ready, Zuko," Ursa kneeled down and started blowing air towards the slab, showing Zuko she wanted the same thing he wanted so he wouldn't complain much. _

_The sound of the door opening caused both royals to turn their hands towards the entrance to the Royal Family beach house. Under the door frame was Ozai was holding baby Azula in his arms with a large green stain in his crimson shirt stuck out like a sore thumb, "she doesn't like sea breeze…" Ursa went to her husband and took her baby from his arms, holding on to her with a single arm, "at least your lucky it came from that end."_

"_Such acts would dishonor her." Ursa let out a small chuckle, "she is a baby, she doesn't care about honor, all she cares about is sleeping and eating." Ozai didn't reply, instead he walked towards Zuko, "concentrate on the clay around your hand, Zuko." The young boy nodded and closed his eyes, before he knew it the clay around his hand dried, creating a perfect mold of his tiny hand. "I did it!" Zuko gave both his parents a large smile. "Yes, you did," Ursa replied, walking towards Zuko and kneeling down and grabbing the clay mold with her free hand, "I wonder if Azula wants one…" _

"_She can't stay still unless she is sleeping, Ursa," Ozai commented, walking towards the beach house's kitchen, "no servants or guard, why are we here!" Ursa placed the mold of Zuko's hand on the surface of a piece of furniture, "I needed a break from everything after I had Azula, Ozai, you even wanted to come." _

_The second prince turn towards the entrance and saw his family together without him, "Azula's birth and the days before were more than anyone could handle." Deep down Ozai felt lonely when he saw his wife and two kids, there was the urge and natural instinct to be with them, but he knew he couldn't be seen being soft or giving into his emotions. Would it matter if he hugged Ursa or showed affection like when they first meet in a house with no outsiders? Yes, if he started doing something in private, it would surely lead to doing it in public, no secret can be secret forever. Instead of joining his wife and kids, Ozai walked pass them and sat down on one of the two couches, "I suppose a break is needed once in a while." Ursa smiled before grabbing onto Zuko's hand and leading him to where his father was. Zuko climbed onto the couch and sat next to Ozai, followed by Ursa who sat Azula on her lap, "we should go and see a play." Ursa knew this was a rare time when Ozai didn't want to think about his position in the Fire Nation or the future of their children and she wanted it to last as long as possible. "If you say so," Ozai replied, studying Zuko as he yawned. "Great, we will go tonight," Ursa tried not to sound too excited. _

Ozai opened his eyes, seeing nothing but the dark ceiling of his room, and sat up on his bed. His golden eyes turned to the side, there was nothing but empty space there. "Another memory…" Ozai whispered, he had been reliving the past in his dreams since he turned his attention towards Zuko, it had been at year since they had stopped going to Ember Island. Ozai put his feet on the ground and sat on the edgy of his bed, thinking about how everything got so dark and lonely _'maybe it's time to take a break...'_.

'_Father,' _Ozai resting his elbows on his knees and put his palms on the sides of his face, '_you have driven your family apart and so have I…was it worth it?' _The Prince looked at his bare feet and just wanted to kick or break something, _'it all will…when I become the Fire Lord and take over the world! It has to!'_ The Prince looked around his room, trying to distract himself from his own emotions, _'acting like Ursa, how pathetic,'_ Ozai told himself.

Despite his cold and harsh exterior, Ozai still had a shred of humanity left, even if he didn't like to admit it. He enjoyed Ursa's presence, but pushed her away to where she couldn't distract him from his goals. He loved seeing his daughter overshadow everyone else her age and the older kids, but he also knew her emotions would bring her down, he had to harden her so she wouldn't suffer later. He even respected Zuko's determination, but he had to keep him in line so he wouldn't ruin his future.

However, his humanity was nothing compared to the darkness in his heart. Ozai's vision of a brighter future for his nation and family was diluted by the power he wanted and would give anything to have. Ursa was weak and a got in the way too often, Ozai figured out that if he kept her away she would be blind to what ever he did. Azula…Azula was everything he wanted to be, powerful and accepted by almost everyone in the upper circle of the Fire Nation, but she was easily distracted by emotions. Ozai needed Azula to be under his control, to do what ever he wanted, to be his weapon and ace in the hole, he had to make sure her world revolved around him. Zuko was pathetic, he resembled Iroh and Lu Ten too much for his own good, a leader needed to be strong and bold, not soft or overrun by emotions.

Ozai stood up and got dressed, but before he went out the door, he stared at himself on the large mirror that came with every 'royal' room in the Fire Palace. In his mind, Ozai saw legions of people bowing down before him, behind them were hundreds of war machines and boats ready to patrol the new world. This vision assured Ozai everything he was going to do was for the great good, even if it was hurting his family or anyone that got on his way. With his actions justified, Ozai left his room and went to the war meeting today.

~X~

Ursa was usually the first to wake up since the there was no Fire Lady, the only princess was given the task of the Fire Lady but without power. Ursa made sure everything was up to the royal standard, that the servants were keeping the palace spotless, guards were on their stations, and everyone else was doing the job they were hired or enslaved to do. Today was no different, except Jiao was given most of her duties later on the day since Zuko and Azula didn't have school today.

The princess quickly got dressed and meet up with her friend/servant in the large kitchen were cooks were getting ready to make the royals' breakfast. "Do you have my list, Jiao?" Ursa asked before warning a cook that was carrying more than he could that the eggs were going to fall. "Right here, Lady Ursa," Jiao took out a clipboard with a list on it, "same as every other day."

Ursa took the list and searched for anything specific today, "right…" Ursa let out a sigh, everyone already knew what to do and didn't need her checking up on them every hour or so. Sometimes Ursa wondered if becoming part of the royal family was worth it, then she remember the only reason Zuko existed was because she married the second prince, making her regret her own thoughts. "Oh, there is something I forgot to mention, Lady Ursa."

"Yes?" Ursa voice was almost nonexistent. "Azula told me she is having Ty Lee over for the night."

"She told _you_?" Ursa tried not to sound too offended, Azula turned to Jiao for a lot of things lately, regarding personal questions and whatever was in her mind. It was almost as if Azula took Jiao as her mother figure instead of her own mother. "Yes, but that will not be until noon, I just wanted to keep you informed."

"Good…" Ursa looked away from Jiao. "Did-did I do something wrong?" Jiao asked softly, Ursa was her friend and she clearly said something that bothered her. "Why would she go to you instead of me?" Ursa nearly shouted, Azula was her child but it felt like she wasn't. The princess wasn't angry at her friend, she was angry at herself for not being there for Azula. "You were…with Zuko at the moment," Jiao said shyly, she didn't want Ursa be angry at her.

Ursa looked down, it was easy to love Zuko and hard to love Azula, she often regretted favoring Zuko over Azula because they were both her children and the consequences were becoming clear now. She had driven Azula away when she should have reached and tried to look inside Azula instead of just her exterior, but it was too late, Azula no longer needed her. "Very well then," Ursa tried to keep her perfect posture, but her trembling voice betrayed her. "If you want…I can help you with Azula, Lady Ursa."

"With what?" Ursa started walking towards the hall, some of the servants were looking at her. Jiao followed, "connecting with Azula, my daughter and I are very different but very close too."

"I-I think it's a little late for that…" Ursa swallowed her sadness and pushed the subject to the back of her mind, "let's just get this tasks done." The princess quickly walked over to the guards quarters, trying to keep herself busy and leaving Jiao behind.

"But…it's never to late," Jiao said but Ursa didn't hear her, she mentally kicked herself since she couldn't say or do what she wanted, just like the time where she couldn't spy on Ozai during Azula's birth.

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><p>"Come on Hama! Show me what you can do!" Shintao pointed at the elderly woman. Haman's eyes grew wide once she recognized the man standing in front of her, "how is it possible that you haven't aged?" Hama quickly got into her stance and pulled the water out of the plants around her, creating a large glob of water that hovered above her shoulders. Shintao started laughing "such childish bending will not stop me." The former prisoner gritted her teeth and started moving her arms like waves and added a few circular matters before a tentacle shot out of the glob of water, aimed for Shintao's head. The tentacle seemed to be unstoppable, but froze just as Shintao touched it with his index finger. The water Hama had gathered betrayed her and suddenly dropped all over her. Shintao put his arms in front of him, his right further than the left, and slow pulled them back. The water on Hama's body froze as Shintao kept on pulling and switching the position of his arms until her body was encased on ice. "There is no need for you to worry, I am only here to give you a warning. Keep your knowledge to yourself or else I will have to take drastic measures!" Hama took a deep breath and melted the ice around her before closing her eyes and focusing on Shintao's heart and blood, she couldn't fully control him but she coul cause serious pain. "The moon is not out, your bending isn't strong enough," Shintao smirked when Hama's eyes shot wide opened. "H-how did y-"<p>

"You didn't discover blood bending," Shintao reached towards Hama with his left arm and spread his fingers, "you only rediscovered it." Slowly, the woman's body rose a few inches off the ground before Shintao curled his fingers into a fist. It felt as if a invisible hand grabbed her by the sides like she was a small doll and applied pressure. Haman let out a shriek of pain, but the blood going up her throat made her cough violently. "How is it possible!" she shouted before blood started coming out of her mouth

Shintao released his invisible grip on Hama and started walking away, "wait for at least a year to start killing people again and using your weak blood bending, if you don't do that I will take pleasure on reminding you what jail was like." Just as he came, Shintao was gone, leaving behind Hama on the ground, coughing and gasping for air. _'It's impossible…how is he able to bend like that!' _Hama remembered him being one of the most feared Fire Nation soldier in the prison as she stood up, her blood boiled a the thought of her nightmare, _'I…I have to do whatever he wants…' _Hama knew she couldn't go against another blood bender, she had to follow his directions like in prison, but that didn't mean she couldn't take her anger out on the people around her, '_but when a year passes, I will make everyone suffers even more and create someone else just like me!'_


	12. 12 Darkness

A/N: Got hit with a bad case of writer's block and laziness. I was suppose to update last week but something with school came up and I had to deal with that. This heat made it impossible to write so this chapter is a bit shaky. Also, I've mentioned this on the previous version, but I have a problem with Avatar and the ages of everyone. Everyone seems to act a lot older than their age, at least four years ahead. Azula and Ty Lee are still young, but they're acting a lot older, which is why Zuko was able to talk, I should have mentioned this during Ozai's flashback. This chapter is everywhere and rushed, but I decided to post it since I haven't posted in a month, will edit more in the future. However, I will re-read this in a hour or two and if I find it's not good enough I will take it down to make more edits.

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><p>"<em>Such a fine collection of books, young one…" a mysterious woman said as she walked towards a the spirit of knowledge, brushing her fingertips against the spine of ancient tomes when she passed by, "but…a lot of the important ones are missing." <em>

"_I thought you were banished to the shadows of the spirit world," Wan Shi Tong said calmly, the being before him couldn't touch him, even of it wanted to. "You act as if hiding in the shadows is a bad thing, yet you hide in your precious library, tell me…what made you return it to the mortal realm?" She slowly approached him, coming out of the shadows created by the book shelves that seemed to go on forever. "I don't have to answer to you," the Owl Spirit turned around and started walking away from the woman. Just as he turned his head, the woman was a few feet in front of him, "you came back to see if humanity has changed or you sensed Ling Xian sever the root sapping humanity from their will to advance." _

"_Humanity has not changed and never will, all they care about is killing each other for dominance, a few might want peace but the rest are nothing more than power hungry savages. Ling Xian only gave them the ability to further destroy themselves, knowledge is a two sided blade and there's only one side that will allow them satisfy their need to be better than the one next to them." The woman couldn't help but to start laughing, her sounds echoed throughout the dark library until she stopped. "Humanity needs to be punished for their crimes, only through periods of pain and suffering can enough people want peace to actually do something about it! Even then, The Spirits have to intervene, do you remember the last time they tried that?"_

"_They created the Avatar to destroy their previous creations and maintain the balance between the spirit and mortal world." _

"_But Agni now decided the Avatar isn't doing his job, he brushed the dust off an old relic and send it here, when he wasn't busy devouring the other spirits." The woman took out a golden scroll from the shadows and handed it to the spirit, "convenient Agni's toy was born into royalty." The large owl took the scroll and someone opened it and held it in front in himself with his wing, "Azula. Second born and only daughter of Prince Ozai." The spirit analyzed what the woman was saying, creating a small period of silence between them. "I do not pick sides anymore, last time I did my library was nearly destroyed by Agni's children." _

"_You think that by constantly changing the location of your library it will keep him at bay? If I can remember right the Fire Nation was somehow able to destroy their records here, even with your effort and energy. You may hate humans but you keep letting them in here so they can gather knowledge to destroy themselves. Ling Xian, you, and I are the same, so why not join us?"_

"_I am nothing like you! I let those humans in because they promised all they wanted was to learn, it's not my fault they lied, it's in their nature!" the shelves and library shook as Wan Shi Tong raised his voice. "I can protect you and your precious books, Agni's 'light' cannot touch the shadows." _

"_No one can be protected from the light, you of all people should know that."_

"_Agni is getting reckless…he wants humanity to worship him as the only spirit."_

"_What are you planning?" _

"_Strike him down and teach him a lesson he will never forget." _

The conversation the great owl spirit had with the strange women kept replaying in his mind, something about it bothered him to no end, especially since he agreed to join Ling Xian. After hours of searching the depths of his library, Wan Shi Tong found the missing books she had mentioned. Most of them were about the natural flow of energy of the world, Chi inside the human body, and the primordial benders, but a few were seemed to be picked at random. "What are you really planning, deceiver?" Slowly, the great owl tried to put the information together, but nothing seemed to make sense. It was clear Ling Xian had already known about the world's energy since he removed the root and any water bending healer knew about the chi in the human body, but what did that have to do with primordial bender? "Xian knows something about the first benders, far more than I do since most books on primordial benders were destroyed by previous Avatars and humans." Suddenly, a grey fox appeared at his side, ready to follow it's master's command, "gather all the information about the primordial benders. I am afraid we will need to be ready for the worst."

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><p>~Morning~<p>

"I honestly don't understand why you would allow Ty Lee to see that girl," Ty Lee's mother complained to her husband as he got ready for the day, "it's disgraceful." Slipping on his shoes, Lord Lee let out a loud sigh, "understand that Ozai and I signed a royal agreement, if Ty doesn't marry Azula, or Zuko, both our families reputation will be destroyed, not to mention the Fire Lord will be able to take everything from us."

"I thought we had the upper hand since Ozai offered Azula's hand to us," Lady Lee grabbed her husband's shirt from a hanger and handed it to him. "You forget we are dealing with Sozin's children, but yes, we do have the upper hand over Ozai since he isn't Iroh or Azulon." Lady Lee went over their dresser and picked out a head piece for him to wear, "then why are you letting Ty hang around Azula instead of Zuko?" Lord Lee let out a sigh again, he really disliked repeating himself, "the agreement was for Ozai's second born and one of ours, Ty was the only one left after other nobles offered their sons for our daughters. We have to at least make it seem we are fine with them marrying each other. I don't see what's the problem, our family will be stronger after our other daughters marry the other powerful noble's sons, what we should be worrying about is Ty falling for some nameless man." The mother pouted and looked down, "that's why I forced her to spend time with Zuko instead of Azula, I wanted her to fall in love with him so we can avoid this argument," she said as she handed him the head piece. "She is young, give it a couple of years and she will fall for him, if not…we will deal with what will come between Azula and Ty's marriage."

"Even if they do get married, they can't produce children to fulfill the agreement, what's stopping the royal family from completely turning against us?" Lady Lee said worried.

"Azulon, he wants Ozai's bloodline to be erased from history, no children means Ozai's blood will fade away." Lord Lee turned to his wife and took her hands, "we will win no matter what, Ty is the only thing that's stopping us from losing everything, as long as she is here and with the royals our future is bright."

"Then you shouldn't worry, she is going to spend the whole day at the palace," Lady Lee smiled and kissed him on the lips, "she can't stop talking about how much fun it will be to spend time with that girl."

"I can relate," Lord Lee smiled before kissing her back. "You should get going, the ship to the colonies leaves at noon."

~X~

Just as Lord Lee entered the large room before the entrance, he noticed five of his daughters on one side of the room and two on the opposite. The five girls were laughing and talking while the two were sitting and facing each other. "What is going on here?" he asked when he notice what was going on between the two, one was crying while the other tried to cheer her up. The head of the household quickly made his way to the two and noticed the one crying was missing the crimson hair tie at the end of her long braid. "She doesn't want to wear the same silk tie we all wear, she wants to wear a pink one," said one of the girls in the other group, it was the first born out of the seven, "and mom get's mad when we aren't matching." the girl said while crossing her arms. "Don't pick on Zari-" Lord Lee was interrupted by the crying child, "I'm Ty Lee!"

"And she always wants to be called by both names!" another of the seven said. The noble froze, he had no idea what to do, things like this were usually dealt with his wife and it seemed she was part of the problem. Ty Lee looked at her father and others sisters before standing up and running towards the main hallway of her home, trying to avoid anything and anyone that could stop her. Lord Lee was about to run after her, but the sound of his wife clearing her throat stopped him, "leave her to sulk, I am sure she will forget everything that happened once she leaves to the palace."

"But then she never stops talking about Azula!" one of the daughters complained, the others followed. "Enough of this!" Lord Lee furrowed his brow, "when I return I don't want to see anyone crying!" He turned to his wife, "and I don't want her to be left alone, Agni knows what can get in her head if she is left alone with her emotions! I don't want to worry that one of my children is defective because someone didn't give her a shoulder to cry on!" He really hated yelling at his children and wife, but sometimes he had to to get his point across. Lord Lee pinched the bridge of his nose, releasing his frustration.

After a few minutes of breathing, he finally spoke again, "please, I don't want any of you to be unhappy, but that can't happened if you guys go around and single each other out." All of his daughters and wife looked down, ashamed they made him raise his voice. "We're sorry," the six looked down. Lord Lee turned to the one that was actually trying to help Ty Lee and gave her a small smile, "you don't have to be sorry, I'll make sure to bring you something special." The girl give him a faint smile in return, trying to hide her excitement from the other girls. "Please go give Ty some support," the head of the household said to the girl, who nodded her head and ran to the direction Ty Lee did. "I expect you to do the same," he turned to his wife, "I don't want to fight over how to raise our children."

"Me too…" the mother walked towards her husband and gave him a kiss of the cheek, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright, raising seven children with me gone most of time must be hard, I do not blame you."

* * *

><p><em>Part Two<em>

~X~

"Why do you always sit there, under the tree, when we come to feed the turtle-ducks, 'Zula?" Ty Lee asked as she dipped the tip of her fingers in the water, making the turtle ducks come towards her. The little creatures quacked with joy when Ty Lee sprinkled bits of bread from a loaf near her with her other hand, "they're so cute!" Azula, sitting on the shadow created by the thick leaved tree crossed her arms and stared at the branches, "because…," the royal was interrupted by how tranquil today was, Ursa and Zuko were busy doing something she didn't care about and her father was in a meeting all day, "because they don't like me…" Ty Lee looked over her shoulder and realized Azula wasn't really there, she was watching the leaves fall onto the ground and be swept away by a light breeze, "that's impossible, silly, turtle-ducks love humans because we feed them and take care of them-"

"Animals in general," the fire bender commented with a dreamy voice, everything just seemed too perfect to ruin it with arguing or yelling. "Come here," Ty Lee turned around and walked towards Azula, extending her arm for Azula to grab. It took Azula a few second before she let out a sigh and grabbed Ty Lee's warm hand. When they're palms touched, Azula felt a warm and fuzzy feeling throughout her being, sending heat to her cheeks and bridge of her nose, all of this feelings increased when Ty Lee gave her a warm smile.

Both girls crouched down at the edge of the pond where Ty Lee used to be. The pink clad girl took a few bits of bread with her free hand and spread them near the edge, "pet one, they love it when you do that."

"Ty, I don't think that such a good idea," Azula looked worried, she might hurt the creatures like her father did before and Ty Lee would hate her for it. "Here they come," Ty Lee squeezed the royal's hand, reassuring Azula everything was okay. Azula put her fingers on the pond, mimicking Ty Lee, and waited for the turtle-ducks to come towards her hand. Just at they approached Azula the animals froze, anticipating Azula's actions. The royal slowly lifted her hand from the water and reached towards one of the turtle-ducks when all of a sudden the turtle-ducks closes to her hands pecked and bit her hand. Azula quickly pulled her hand back and grabbed the loaf of bread Ty Lee was feeding the creators and threw it at the them. Ty Lee wanted to tell her friend that she overreacted, but she had never seen turtle-ducks attack anyone before. "I told you it was a bad idea," Azula released her hold on Ty lee's hand and returned to her spot under the tree.

"I don't know why they don't like you, you are so pretty!" Ty Lee looked back at the creatures and back to Azula. "I don't know," Azula tried to keep her eyes on the branches and off Ty Lee, the emotions inside were starting to overwhelm her, "animals never liked me." A sudden weight dropped on Azula's chest, winding and dazing the royal until her golden eyes meet silver ones. "It's alright!" Ty Lee smiled at her friend, "you are still my friend!"

"That doesn't mean you can just fall all over me!" Azula put her hands on Ty Lee's sides and gently pushed her off her chest. "I'm sorry," Ty Lee crawled towards Azula's side and turned her body so she was facing the royal, "you're just so warm, it feels nice to be close to you!" The comment took a few seconds to register in Azula's head until she realized what she said, sending more blood to her face and butterflies in her stomach, "don't say things like that, especially when others are around!" Ty Lee seemed to ignore the comment and rested her head on Azula's chest. Ty Lee was still not sure what her odd affection towards Azual was, but she was just happy to be close to her friend and away from her other sisters. Since the whole argument on the morning, Ty Lee had never been happier to be with Azula and didn't want to be away from her. Instead of pushing the girl off, Azula put her hand on Ty Lee's brown hair and started stroking it, still staring at the tree.

After a few minutes of Azula's touch, steady breathing and heart beating Ty Lee closed her eyes and dozed off into a light sleep. Azula also started dozing off from Ty Lee's breathing and the warmth she was producing, but tried to fight her heavy eyelids. _'Don't fall asleep…I can't let people see me like this!' _Azula told herself, she knew a wondering guard would most likely report what he saw to her father, something she feared because she might get punished for showing affection in public, or mother, who couldn't care less but would look down on her for some reason Azula never understood. She could see it now, Ozai making her released a flame larger than her continuously for dozens of minutes, completely draining her very being for days and if it ever got smaller Ozai would physically punish her. It wasn't like he beat her, far from it, he would simple swipe his foot at her shines and made her fall hard on the ground for a couple of times while ordering to stand up. If Azula was able to stand up and create a flame again it would take a lot more energy to keep it going since she had to ignore her aching ankles and areas where her body fell.

Azula was about to finally beat the desire to be bathed in the warmth of Ty Lee and her surroundings when images of Ty Lee smiling replaced the darker ones of Ozai's punishment. "Why are you able to do this to me?" Azula questioned the sleeping girl, "not even my family can make me fell this…this warmth." Azula stopped stroking Ty Lee's hair and let out a sigh, _'it looks like I can't win…how sad.' _With a last blow to her hard outer shell, Azula let a smile form on her lips and closed her eyes. Ozai had taught her that everything she let Ty Lee do to her and the feelings she made her feel were weak and made her lose the battle with weakness, but why was losing to weakness making her feel so good and warm inside? She didn't know or cared, right now she was actually liking defying her father's words.

~X~

Azula suddenly woke when she felt someone staring at her, but forced herself not to sit up since Ty Lee was still on top of her. To the royal's relief it was Jiao, who was smiling at her for some odd reason. "What is it?" Azual tried not to sound annoyed since she was one of the servant's she actually liked. "I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?" the mother asked as if she didn't hear Azula, "should I go?" Azula frowned, she couldn't see her face was redder than her clothing, "n-no, what time is it?" Jiao couldn't help but chuckle inside when she saw Azula's face get redder by the second, "it's past lunch, but I can probably get you something if you want."

"I'd love something to eat…" Ty Lee said as she sat up and stretched her arms, "do you want to eat something, 'Zula?" Between Jiao and Ty Lee, the only people she tolerated, Azula nodded in defeat. "Good!" Jiao smiled again, "is there something special you want?"

"Anything is fine," Azula quickly replied, she want Jiao to leave as soon a possible. "Can I get a sweet roll with my food?" Ty Lee asked. "Anything," Jiao said before she bowed and walk back into the palace.

"She seems nice," Ty Lee commented while straightening her brown hair, Azula's hand has taken a few strands out of place. "She should be," Azula tried to sound like she didn't care about the woman. Once Ty Lee thought she was presentable she stood up and helped Azula do the same.

As Ty Lee walked a few steps behind Azula, she couldn't help but wonder just how she gotten to be the girl's friend. Azula was a royal, which meant she was able to have anyone as her friend, but at the same time she acted like she didn't need anyone, so why did she let someone like Ty Lee follow her everywhere? Ty Lee liked to think it was because Azula liked her, after all why would Azula protect her from the bullies? There was no answer for Azula's actions that Ty Lee could come up with. Azula constantly showed how much she thought Ty Lee was weak, but she also apologized and even went out of her way to make her smile again, something Azula never did to anyone else. Azula seemed to do a lot things for Ty Lee no one bothered to do, like listening to her long stories about how she was starting to see colors around people, depending on their mood. The royal partially listened, but at least she listened unlike her own sisters.

But having someone that thought she was better than most people did cost Ty Lee something she loved, making friends. Azula's little threat to her bully caused many girls to hesitate when approaching or walking by Ty Lee, even when Azula wasn't around. However, only girls in their classes were afraid of Azula's wrath, the older girls understood Azula was just protecting her friend. Now that she thought about it, Ty Lee didn't really lost anything by making friend with the royal.

"Where is Mai?" Azula asked, breaking Ty Lee's thoughts. "She said sleepovers are boring," Ty Lee answered without hesitation, she knew Azula didn't like to be kept waiting. Azula didn't seem to react, her relationship with the dark hair girl didn't flourish like it did with Ty Lee. "But she did say she might come next time!" Ty Lee sounded excited, stopping the princess from bursting her bubble.

Once they reached the dining room both girls took seats somewhere in the middle. Jiao appeared from the kitchen entrance, holding a trey with three different plates, two with food and the other had Ty Lee's sweet roll, two cups, and a teapot. The mother quickly set everything on the table before taking the empty tray back to the kitchen.

Azula looked at her food and noticed it was some kind of steak, salad, and a piece of garlic bread. "Isn't this a little to big for girls?" Ty Lee unknowingly struck a cord inside Azula, she hated it when people expected less of her because she was a female. "It must have been the same lunch the generals had today," Azula said calmly before she grabbed one set of utensils wrapped on a crimson napkin that were placed perfectly on the table in front of each seat.

* * *

><p>After they're lunch and desert, Azula and Ty Lee headed to a secluded courtyard to stretch and exercise since both felt stuffed and needed to do something about it. Ty Lee stretched, unknowing showing off her flexibility to Azula, making the royal stand up and start practicing her fire bending. However, Ty Lee didn't seemed to be jealous that Azula could do something she couldn't, instead she just idolized her even more. Azula, in Ty Lee's mind, was the most perfect and intelligent thing on the world, she had the ability to be so pretty yet be strong enough to be a match for the oldest girls at the academy. The nobleman's daughter confirmed in her mind as she watched Azula unleashed a series of white fire walls towards the sky that she was blessed to be Azula's friend.<p>

"That was so…" Ty Lee paused and thought of a word that would best fit Azula's bending, "something with 'ag' in it,' Ty Lee thought out loud. "Magnificent?" Azula crossed her arms and waited for Ty Lee's response. "Yes! Magnificent!" Ty Lee jumped up and down with excitement, "you're so smart and pretty, 'Zula!" The royal smirked at the compliment, "yes I am, now let's go back to exercising, we don't want to get fat like Uncle Iroh." Azula said before taking a deep breath and focusing her energy on her hands

"General Iroh? He is so funny! We had him over the last time he was in the Fire Nation!' Ty Lee got on her hands and started walking with them towards Azula. "If by funny you mean weak and old, yes," Azula said before she was meet with Ty Lee's feet a few inches from her face. In an instant, Ty Lee found herself on her stomach and realized Azula had pushed her away. "What was that for?" Ty Lee asked, luckily for her it wasn't as rough like the first time they meet. "You scared me," Azula lied. A large grin appeared on the other girl's face, "what are you smiling at?" Azula asked defensively. "I scared the bravest girl on the whole world!" Ty Lee said before jumping up and landing on her feet. "Believe what you want," Azula brushed her off before she returned to her practice.

* * *

><p><em>Part Three<em>

~Night~

After a day of pampering, playing tricks on Zuko and their favorite games, both girls decided it was time to go to Azula's room, but not before they were prepared.

The whole thing wasn't new to Ty Lee, but having servants practically walk for her was odd.

After their separate baths, Azula put on her pajamas and gave Ty Lee one of her spares to wear. When they meet up again Azula noticed she still had her braid before leading her to a room with chairs that had a fountain behind them and eight servants waiting for them. "Just relax and let them do their jobs," Azula said before she took one of the seats and leaned her head against the fountain, letting her hair flow with the water. A servant quickly took out a very expensive brush from a drawer under the fountain and started running it down Azula's hair. Ty Lee hesitated before taking the seat next to Azula, but didn't lean her head against the fountain, "I'm not really okay with people touching my hair…" Ty Lee said unsure. Ty Lee looked at Azula and noticed servants were filing her nails and toes nails down, "'Zula?"

"Let them do their job, Ty, they're not paid to stand around," Azula said, eyeing the four servants meant for Ty lee, the women quickly scrambled to start on Ty Lee, but the girl kept on pulling her arms and feet every time they touched them. "Please…just don't touch my hair," Ty Lee said before she finally let the servants take her hands and feet. "Fine," Azula said before she turned head and closed her eyes, _'what's the matter? I touched your precious hair today.' _

After a few minutes of silence, Azula heard whimpering coming from her friend, making her open her golden eyes and look at her. The servants were trying to calm her down, but for some reason Ty Lee kept of pulling her arms and feet away from her. "What's the matter now?" Azula asked, trying to hid her concern from the servants. "I-I'm just not used to having strangers do this."

"Don't you have servants at your home?"

"Yes, but at least I know them!" Ty Lee yanked her hand when one of the servant filed her nails too short. Azula waved her hand and the servants around her stopped, "fine, I guess this is enough." The servants around Ty Lee pulled away and started putting everything away.

"Th-thank you," Ty Lee her finger on her mouth, trying to sooth the stinging sensation. The servants around Azula stopped the flowing water, waited for the water to drain, and wrapped Azula's silken hair on a towel. After a few seconds on massaging the royal's scalp and drying her hair, the servant took the towel and let Azula stand up. "Much better," Azula let out a sigh.

~X~

Once Azula and Ty Lee entered the royal's room, Azula couldn't help but notice something was bothering Ty Lee.

"What's the matter now?" Azula was looking at herself at the mirror, brushing her hair, but the reflection of Ty Lee kept distracting her. Ty Lee stared at her finger, "it really hurts, 'Zula…"

"Your finger? Are you joking?" Azula made her way to her friend and took the girl's hand, examining it for blood or bruises, "there's nothing here!" Ty Lee pulled her arm close to her chest, "it doesn't matter, it hurts!"

"Honestly, Ty, you cry about the dumbest things!" Azula snapped, causing Ty Lee to looked down. Azula's fuse suddenly stopped burning and she reached for her friend's 'injured' hand, but Ty Lee turned around before she could grab the limb, "no, you'll just make it worse!" Azula let out a sigh of frustration, her fuse was ignited again, but she had to show Ty Lee she was sorry, so she put her hands on the girl's shoulder and turned her around. Before Ty Lee could protest, Azula had taken her injured hand and kissed her knuckles, something Jiao had done when she had burned herself or gotten a bruise from Ozai's punishment. "Better?" Azula asked with Ty Lee's hand still near her lips. Without saying a word, Ty Lee threw herself at Azula, wrapping her arms around the royal's neck and holding her tight, "thank you! It's much better now!" Instead of letting the girl go, Azula returned the hug and rested her chin on Ty lee's shoulder, taking in the warmth that came with losing the battle with 'weakness', "never tell anyone about this, okay?"

"Anything for you, 'Zula!" Ty Lee looked at her reflection on Azula's mirror and noticed she had a large goofy smile on her face. The non-bender squinted her eyes and saw the aura around both of the was a light shade of red, almost pink, unlike the rest of the palace.

After a few minutes of enjoying the embrace, both girls separated, Ty Lee took a seat on the edge of Azula's bed while the bender put out the candles that lit her room. Once it was dark, Azula created a small ball of fire on the palm of her left hand and made her way to her large bed. "Is it hard?" Ty Lee asked when Azula vanquished the flame on her palm. "What's hard?" Azula asked, pulling the covers over so she could get in the sheets. "Fire bending at night, I know fire benders are weaker at night because the sun is gone," Ty Lee stood up and wait for Azula to tell her where she was going to sleep. "No, I am not weak," Azula replied with a cold voice, "I have never felt weak at night." Ty Lee stared at the royal, unsure of what to do, until Azula rolled her eyes and patted the spot next to her. The future acrobat quickly took her place and smiled, "I had a great day, 'Zula." Azula didn't reply, instead she turned her body away from Ty Lee and closed her eyes. Ty Lee did the same, knowing Azula was not good a expressing herself when it came to spending time to others. _'Her sheets smell like her…_' Ty Lee thought before she fell asleep.

~X~

'_It's time…A…Zu…La' _a dark and soothing voice whispered into both of the royal's ears. _'Soon you will…see what you are,' _with each word the voice got louder and deeper, causing the royal to toss and turn. _'I've been watching you…your friend will abandon you.' _As the voice kept on going against her ears, Azula's dreams slowly turned into a dark nightmare.

-Azula's Dream-

'_**You'll betray your friends…'**_

_Azula opened her eyes and saw nothing, she was alone and in the dark. The flames that came with her dreams and nightmares were gone, creating an ice cold environment. Azula looked around and notice she couldn't see part the tip of her nose, it was impossible to determine where she was. The royal wrapped her arms around herself when a cold sensation ran down the girl's spine, she got the feeling the darkness was staring back. _

'_**You…are weak'**_

_Azula was about to order the source of the voice to show itself, but when she opened her mouth nothing came out. Azula wrapped her hands around her own neck out of shock, trying to see if there was a wound, but found nothing. 'What is going on!?' out of pure instinct Azula put her hand in front of her and tried to create a fire, but nothing came out. She tried again, but was only able to create a tiny flame before it disappeared, making her try again. On the third try, Azula smirked when she saw a fire ball the size of her fist hovering over her palm, but the flame only produced enough light for her to see her hand. Suddenly, Azula jumped back when she looked passed her flame and saw ice eyes looking at her, "come out!" _

'_**I am the lucid dream…'**_

_Azula watched in horror as the eyes got closer to her, the light coming from the fire revealed a white face with red lips, the royal couldn't take her eyes off the lifeless ones in front on her. The royal tried to step back, but her feet didn't move, all she could do was lean back and stretch her arm out towards the face in a weak attempt to scare it away. 'This isn't real, it's just a dream!' Azula shut her eyes and repeated the words over and over in her head. _

'_**The Fiend of a thousand faces!' **_

_This time the voice was the opposite of what is was in the beginning, the voice was unbearably loud and send shivers down her back. Azula snapped open her eyes and saw her flame was frozen in time, but the face was gone, replaced by darkness and silence. Suddenly the flame burst into a giant orange inferno around her. Azula tried to pose her will on it, but it only caused it to burn brighter and hotter to the point where she had to shut her eyes. The fires around the royal slowly closed in on her, gracing her arms and clothes. The flames did not burn the royal but she did feel as if she was being burned alive, making her close her eyes in pain. The flames only burned her for a few seconds, but it felt like minutes to the girl, until the finally disappeared. _

_Once the pain was gone, Azula fell to her knees and started gasping for air, only to have her lungs be filled with smoke. Azula reopened her eyes and saw grey stone underneath her shadow, the rest was orange as it reflected fires around. Gathering her courage, Azula looked up and saw large stone buildings burning and crumbling under the heat. Piles of what she thought were bodies were scattered around, slowy burning in a crackling fire._

"_Where am I!?" Azula asked herself when she saw large Fire Nation banners in front of the entrances of smaller buildings that weren't part of the main ones and parts of war machines scattered like the piles of bodies. _

"_You are in one of the Air Temples, child," a man appeared behind her. Azula turned around and saw it was her great-grandfather, Sozin, "why am I here?" _

"_You're very special, child," the older man said as if he didn't hear her question, "I created the myth that killing dragons would increase a benders skill just so more of your kind could be born and serve the Fire Nation." _

"_My kind?"_

"_A Phoenix, a human born with a dragon and human spirit, the first Fire Benders. It is time, Azula, for you to wake up inside, you have something very important to do. Brace yourself for you are will be walking the path of the Wretched."_

"_What are you talking about!?" Azula yelled, she needed to know what he was talking about and why she was made to look at this. "You will suffer, an unimaginable pain no one will understand and mistake for madness." Sozin put his thumb against the middle of Azula's forehead, "let me show you what awaits in the abyss…"_

-Real world-

Ty Lee woke up when she felt Azula's hand on her face and legs brushing against her. "'Zula?" The royal mumbled something in return, but made a face that caused Ty Lee to worry, "Azula?" Ty Lee put her hand on Azula's shoulder, gently shaking it, when she felt cold sweat coming from Azula's neck. Ty Lee instantly sat up and examined the royal in the dark, tears were streaming down her face and she was quietly sobbing. Ty Lee tried shaking her friend awake, but nothing happened, Azula was too deep in her sleep to be woken up so easily. Out of desperation and fear that Azula might be dreaming of something horrible, Ty Lee wrapped her arms Azula and cradled her in her arms, "Azula, I need you to wake up!" Ty Lee could feel Azula's aura, it was a swirling mess of all the negative emotions someone could experience. "Wake up! Wake up!" Ty Lee felt her heart drop when she noticed Azula's breathing was almost gone, "It's okay! It's just a dream!" Ty Lee wanted to run out and get some help, but what if she stopped breathing.

Scared, Ty Lee got out of bed and quickly went to the edge of the bed that Azula was closes to. She wrapped her arm around the royal's back and hooked it under her arm and put Azula's hand over her shoulders, "let's go get you some help, Azula!" Ty Lee slowly pulled the royal out of the bed and started walking towards the door when she felt Azula's body heat up, "oh Agni, you're really sick!" With each step Ty Lee took Azula's body seemed to get heavier, but it didn't stop her, she had to get Azula help.

Before Ty Lee could take hold on the door handle, she slipped on something and feel on the ground, releasing Azula and letting her fall down hard. "No!" Ty Lee yelled, she quickly scrambled to give the unconscious girl help, but stopped when she saw heard Azula let out a loud gasp for air. "Azula!"

"Ty Lee?" Azula said through gasps of air, "where am I?" Ty Lee wrapped her hands around Azula's neck and have her a loose hug since Azula was still gasping for air, "you're okay, you had a horrible dream and became sick!" Azula weakly weaved her arm, lighting a candle near her, "why am I on the floor?" Azula finally stopped gasping for air. "I was going to get you help, you were crying and had a horrible fever." Azula froze, she was lucky Ty Lee dropped her instead of getting help, her father would have severely punished her if she did. "I'm alright now…"

"We still need to get you help!" Ty Lee pulled away and looked into Azula's eyes, for some odd reason there was regret in the golden pools. "No! no…" Azula took Ty Lee's hand and laced their fingers together, "promise me you will never tell anyone about this!"

"Azu-"

"Promise me!" Azula tried to keep her voice down so a roaming guard couldn't hear her, "please…" Ty Lee slumped her shoulders in the defeat, "I promise…"

"Alright," Azula raised their hands towards her lips and kissed Ty Lee's knuckles again, "I'll promise to make you shine."

"What?"

"I promise to make you shine, Ty Lee." Azula faked a smile, trying to change the subject so they could put the whole night behind them. Ty Lee thought for a few moments of what Azula was promising her, but decided Azula must still not be fully there. "I promise to make you smile, 'Zula," Ty Lee leaned towards Azula and kissed her forehead, "you are so nice to me, but when you are sad or angry you don't let people comfort you, I want to be that person that does." Ty Lee pulled away and gave Azula a smile, "no matter what happens, I promise to make you happy." Azula undid one of her hands, waving it to put out the candle and helped Ty Lee stand up. "Let's get some rest," Azula lead Ty Lee to back to her bed.

Azula turned her body towards Ty Lee, looking at her until she finally fell asleep again. Ty Lee carefully watched her for about an hour, ready to help if her nightmare came back, but it never did. Half an hour later, Ty Lee feel asleep, still holding on to Azula's hand.


	13. 13 Numb

A/N: Yes, there are WoW references because I played it and there's almost everything in the WoW universe, surprised only the C'Thun/Yogg-Saron ones were noticed.

* * *

><p>After that night Azula seemed distant, more than she usually was. She still did all of things that everyone expected from her, but the look in her eyes was baron of emotion. The usual glow that came with her eyes was gone, making the pools of gold look darker than usual. No one noticed this more than Mai, the girl who disliked the royal more than anyone, but did not hate her. She did not know what had happened between Azula and Ty Lee, but did keep track of the girls, she liked to know who she was letting be near her. The politician's daughter concluded that something had happened at the night of Ty Lee's sleepover since Ty Lee was acting weird around Azula the next day when she came by to see her friend and Zuko. Ty Lee seemed to think Azula would break her bones if she stood up or lifted a finger, making the Lee girl rush to her side in the blink of an eye. Azula tried to tell Ty Lee she was fine, but the tone of her voice betrayed her words, making Ty Lee take Azula's hands and kiss them before telling her everything was alright. The usually quiet girl decided it wasn't worth the effort to try and find out what happened, instead she quietly followed the royal and Ty Lee's orders and rules.<p>

Zuko and Ursa were walking towards the play room where Zuko's favorite book was when they discovered Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai playing some odd game in there. When Zuko noticed Mai turn her eyes from the two girls to him he felt his face turn read with embarrassment since he still clung to his mom like a newborn, "let's go, mom!" Zuko pulled on the woman's sleeve, but his mother didn't budge. "Mom!"

"What's the matter?" Ursa turned to face him, ignoring the look of annoyance Azula was giving them, "is Azula bothering you again?" Before Zuko could respond, Ursa called out his sisters name and told her to come. "Go and join Ty Lee and Mai, Zuko." Zuko froze when Azula glared at him as she walked towards their mother, he nodded and ran towards the two girls, trying to keep as much distance from his sister as possible.

"Follow me, young lady," Ursa tried to sound like she wasn't displeased with Azula, but knew Azula already knew what she was going to say. Princess Ursa lead her daughter away from the play room before clearing her throat, something she usually did when she was about to lecture her daughter about giving Zuko respect he hadn't earned, "what have I told you about bothering Zuko?"

"Not to," Azula looked down, she really hated the look in Ursa's eyes when she was looking down on her, especially when she hadn't done anything, but it wasn't like Ursa cared. "Look at me when I am talking to you, Azula," Ursa commanded, she had learned that Azula only ever listened when she was being ordered around, Ursa found this easy to do since she hadn't taken the time to fully know her daughter. Azula slowly looked towards Ursa until she was staring into her light brown eyes, she didn't say anything but formed a scowl. "I've told you before, you can't treat Zuko like he isn't your brother, even if Ozai," Ursa paused and swallowed, even mentioning her husband's name caused her some pain, "even if Ozai told you he was weak. He is your brother, your older brother, you should give him more respect."

"I haven't done anything," Azula looked down again, the royal blinked a few times when she felt her eyes sting, _'he cries about everything, he even cries because I actually have a friend.' _

"That doesn't matter!" Ursa started losing her patience with Azula, she was as stubborn as Ozai, "show him the respect he deserves!"

"He doesn't deserve any!" Azula snapped, hot tears started forming at the edge of her eyes, last night had already cracked her cold shell and this wasn't helping, "he cries about everything! It's not my fault he's a failure!"

Ursa put her hand on Azula's shoulder and the other grabbed her forearm, preventing Azula from running away, "Zuko is not a failure, Azula! He just needs a lot more help than you do, he wasn't born perfect!"

Azula tried pulling herself away from her mother, but Ursa's hold was too strong, pushing the tears building inside out. Ursa watched the girl struggle, but for some reason she didn't feel her pain, instead she just held on to her until Azula got in control of her emotions. After what seemed like ten minutes, Azula's movement slowed down and the tears started running down her face, "I didn't do anything this time!" Ursa's body softened when she felt a numb sensation travel from her chest to her entire body, "Azula…I-I'm sorry." Ursa let go of Azula and tried to give her hug, but the girl slipped out and ran at a random direction. The Princess was about to run after her, but her body wouldn't move, the numb sensation quickly turned into a empty feeling that made her feel sick and cold, _'What have I done?'_

Gathering all of her strength, Ursa was able to move again and turned towards Azula's direction when she noticed Ty Lee was looking at her, "how long have you been there, child?" Ty Lee stayed quiet for some time before she finally opened her mouth, "I-I just…"

"I'm sorry she had to see that," Ursa felt obligated to say that when she saw the sadness in Ty Lee's big grey eyes, "but she just can't understand unless I raise my voice." Ty Lee wanted to tell her about last night and how sick she was, but she remembered the promise, "she-she really didn't do anything, Lady Ursa." Ty Lee stepped towards the princess, but Ursa stepped back, she could see just how hurt the Lee girl was from simply watching what just happened, she couldn't even think what Azula must be feeling. "Do you know where she ran off to?" Ty Lee bit her lowered lip, debating if she should tell Ursa where her friend might have gone of too when Ursa spoke again, "please…"

"I don't know," Ty Lee's voice was nearly gone when she realized she couldn't think of an answer, this had never happened before, if it had Azula wasn't going to reveal it. "Go back inside with Zuko, Ty Lee, I will deal with Azula," Ursa took one step, but stopped when she felt a tug at her sleeve. It was Ty Lee, _'please let go, child,'_ Ursa mentally begged the nobleman's daughter. "She was really sick last night, Lady Ursa, please don't yell at her."

"I didn't-" Ursa stopped talking and gave the girl a warm smile, "I wont, I promise."

Ty Lee released her hold on Ursa's robe and stared at the woman before she ran into the play room.

"What happened?" Zuko instantly asked once he saw Ty Lee enter the play room. "Nothing," the future acrobat tried to keep what happened to herself, Azula would hate her if she told them she cried. "Is Azula is trouble again?" Zuko stepped towards Ty Lee, but she walked around him and picked out a doll, "what game do you guys want to play?"

"Just tell us what happened," Mai said as if she already know the answer, "if she did get in trouble it isn't new." The pink clad girl found it hard to ignore Mai being so calm about Ursa making Azula cry, "nothing happened, 'Zula just went to get a drink of water."

Mai rolled her eyes, "she probably deserved it."

"No she didn't it!" Ty Lee snapped, why was it so hard for Zuko and Mai to understand she didn't want to talk about it, "you don't know what happened to her!" If there was something Ty Lee hated it was keeping secrets, especially when people didn't know what was really happening. "Since when did you turn into Azula's little secret keeper, Ty Lee?" the dark haired girl let out a loud sigh, clearly showing Ty Lee she wasn't interested on an answer, "whatever…she can deal with it on her own."

Zuko, who had stopped talking to hear the girls' conversation, suddenly spoke up, "Azula doesn't need anyone's help, she never has or will." Ty Lee glared at Zuko, the same glare Azula had given him, but decided not to respond to him, _'If only you two saw her last night…then you'd see she needs more help any anyone!'_

~X~

After running and avoiding guards Azula entered her room, still crying. Before she could close her door and lock it, she noticed Jiao was at the end of her bed, folding her laundry and stacking them on neat piles before putting them in her closet. "Hello, Azu-" Jiao put down one of Azula's recently washed shirts on the bed and carefully walked towards Azula, the tears streaming down from her bloodshot eyes quickly brought out her maternal instincts to be close to the girl. "Why are you here?" Azula wiped her runny nose and tears with her sleeve. "What's the matter?" Jiao carefully put her hands out and opened them, showing Azula she wasn't going to hurt her since the look in the bender's eyes resembled a wounded animal, "why are you crying?" Azula didn't react when Jiao was at arms length from her, but tried to scare off the servant, "it doesn't matter! Leave!" Jiao stepped back, she had gotten too close, "it does matter," she reached for Azula's cheek and let out a sigh of relief in her mind when Azula didn't launch a fire ball at her, "it matters when my little firefly is crying." Azula, surprised Jiao's touch was warm and soothing, leaned against it for comfort. Jiao smiled and cupped Azula's other cheek with her other hand, "it's okay…I'm not going to hurt you." Again, Azula leaned against the mother's touch, but this time she stepped forward until her face was pressed against Jiao's stomach.

"It hurts me to see you cry," Ursa's personal maid whispered before she got on both knees and fully embraced Azula. The royal buried her face on Jiao's chest and hugged her back, holding her tight and releasing every once of sorrow she had bottled up until now. All of the negative emotions Ursa had brought Azula, the hatred for looking at her different than Zuko and the sorrow for not being as loving to her, washed over Azula. "Everything is alright now, Azula, I will not let anything hurt you for as long as I'm with you." Azula released another wave of tears onto the woman's clothing, but she didn't step away or push her, instead Jiao held onto her tightened.

After an unknown amount of time, Azula ran out of tears and her body started trembling. All of the emotions she had gotten from Ursa unfairly looking down on her were gone, all that was left was the ice cold and numb feeling in her chest. Jiao noticed this and loosened her hold, "this hands are shaking cold…." The mother pulled away from Azula for a second before taking hold of her hands and gently raised them to her lips, "this hands are mine to hold." Once Azula felt the servant's lips on her hands, the warm sensation she felt whenever she was with Ty lee traveled from Jiao's lips to deep inside her being. The royal's trembling was quickly replaced with gasps of air and uneven breathing, her body and mind were still coming down from all of the sadness produced in the small amount of time.

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><p>'<em>Where are you?'<em> Ursa questioned herself as she inspected every room she came across with on her way to the rooms her family sleep in. after the fourth or fifth room, she decided maybe Azula didn't go this way, making her question any guard she came across with, but no one said they saw anything. The princess became frustrated with herself, how could she not know where her daughter was and how could she hurt her so much with simple words? Azula was stronger than that, at least that's what she thought. Ursa tried not to get any more worked up about not being able to find Azula, but she was her mother, she should be able to find her with ease.

"Have you seen my daughter?" Ursa asked a masked royal guard, her patience was running thin, the longer all of the negative emotions Azula was feeling the more they were able to sink in. "I have not seen her, Princess Ursa," the man behind the mask replied, "I am sorry." Instead of thanking him for his time, like she usually did, Ursa turned away to asked another guard near by. _'Where are you, Azula!?' _Ursa kept asking herself every time she looked into a room or asked a guard.

"Having problems with our daughter, Ursa?" a very familiar voice said from behind the princess. "Ozai…what are you- have you seen Azula?" Ursa asked with desperation on her voice, "I have no idea where she might be!" Ozai narrowed his eyes, "why?"

"Sh-she almost burned a guard for not bowing when she came by," Ursa lied, Ozai would most likely punish her if he knew the truth. The thought of Ozai practically torturing Azula made the princess clench her jaw, but she was powerless to stop him, Ozai had soldiers and generals on his side while she had maids and other wives of noblemen, at least Azula only received bruises that faded in a day or two, she just wished she could actually do something about it. "Check her room," Ozai fell for the lie and walked away towards the war room. _'You have to be joking, it can't be that obvious! Azula would hav-' _for the first time today, Ursa stopped trying to justify her actions with that was expected of Azula and quickly made her way her daughter's room.

~X~

When the door to Azula's room was opened again, the room was dark and only a single figure could be seen. "I'm glad you're here, I need to leave, but I don't want her to stay alone," Jiao smiled before stepping aside, revealing Azula's sleeping form in her bed. The royal resembled a baby, curled up and facing Jiao, "is 'Zula okay?" Ty Lee asked, slowly stepping towards Jiao. "She is fine," the mother brushed her fingers against Azula's cheek, "all she needed was someone to be there for her. I've done all I can, now I think she needs someone she really cares about to be by her side."

Ty Lee got on Azula's bed and started putting a few loose strands of hair on Azula's face back where they belonged. Before Jiao left, she looked back at the two girls and smiled, "one last thing, I wasn't here, okay?" Ty Lee nodded, she didn't really hear what the woman said since all of her attention was on Azula's sleeping face.

~X~

Ursa entered the hallway that contained the rooms where her family slept in when she noticed Jiao was about to open Azula's door. The mother looked over her shoulder and smiled at the princess, "Ursa, your duties are almost finished, I just need to clean Azula's room."

"Good…" Ursa gave the woman a smile, "if you don't mind, I would like to be left alone in Azula's room." Jiao nodded and quietly left to finish another task needed to be done today. Ursa gripped the metal handle, but prayed that her daughter was inside before opening it. To her relief, Azula was in her bed sleeping, Ty Lee was also there, but she has fallen asleep at the opposite end of the bed. Ursa carefully closed the door and made her way to her child.

"I am so sorry, Azula," Ursa whispered as she studied her daughter, "for everything…." The princess let out a sigh and sat a few inches from the bender, "I haven't even told you how beautiful you are becoming. Every time I look at your eyes I see Ozai, but I also see a glimmer of hope, hope that you won't turn out like him. I wanted to say this to you for a long time, but every time I look into your eyes I see my failure as a mother. I love you, Azula, no matter what Ozai turns you into or what you make of yourself. I am sorry I can't say this things when you are awake, but I know deep down, someday, you will remember me telling you just how much I love you." Ursa leaned down and kissed Azula's forehead, "I love you so much…so very much, but if I try to take you away with Zuko, or even try to help you see what's right, Ozai will punish you for my actions. I would do anything for you and Zuko, I hope you know that, but I can't risk having you two on the run if I to take you away, I can't have you be hunted down like animals or worse…" Ursa stopped when she heard Ty Lee stir, taking the time to pull away from Azula. "Once Iroh and Lu Ten return I can give you the protection you need, then I can take you away from your wretched father. You may hate me for the rest of your life, but I would rather die hated than without my beautiful daughter…as long as I am here, near you, I won't let Ozai put your life in danger, but you just have to endure a few burns and bruises, I know you can." Ursa was shocked when she saw drops of water land a few inches from Azula's face, "I should go now…" Wiping her own tears, Ursa quietly exited the room, but not before getting a last glimpse at Azula. _'You are so strong, Azula, I know you can go through this without much help.'_

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><p>AN:Sorry if this chapter was a little rushed.

I should clarify a few things since I have the feeling a few people won't get what's going on with Ursa and Azula. Ursa loves Azula, she just doesn't know how to express herself, she tries to communicate with her but to Azula she is just looking down on her. Azula does want Ursa to love her, but she wants the same form of affection Ursa gives Zuko, like reading to her or simply being there for her, but Ozai's teachings are sinking in faster than Ursa's actions. Ursa also knows Azula can handle being alone and make the choices that wouldn't put her life in danger since she can control herself most of the times, making it easier to deal with Ozai. Ursa may seem to dislike, even hate, Azula but that's because she feels Azula is a lot more mentally mature to handle what is really going on. It's a matter of picking the weaker child to nurture than the fit one who can fend for itself, but it's also tearing Ursa apart when she realizes just how little she knows about Azula.


	14. 14 Warmth

A/N: School…bleh. little rough around the edges.

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><p>"<em>You tremble and grow weak, it'll take everything you have," <em>The dark voice whispered against Azula's pale ear just as she had fallen asleep, it kept on haunting her along with the images days after her nightmare. _"You're begging 'Let me out!'" _The bender tried to subconsciously block it out but it found ways around. "_Plead for Mercy!" _This time the voice shattered Azula's mental block, making the girl cringe,_ "Fall to your Knees!" _

The strange and dark memories of what Sozin had shown her manifested themselves in the darkness, _**"You've failed me for the last time!"**_

The voice was so loud it woke the royal up, making her sit up and create a flame to see if there was actually someone in her room. Azula's eyes were meet with darkness and rays of moon light that somehow penetrated the thick curtains in her room. The fire bender's posture softened, but her breathing was still erratic and she couldn't close her eyes longer than a second. The royal slowly raised her hand to her face and brushed her fingers against her cheek, Azula fingers were meet with clammy skin instead of the usual cold sweat that came with her nightmares. Azula knew she had to get help, each time she fell asleep she was brought closer to reliving Sozin's dark vision of the future, but help was for the weak. Azula thought of asking Jiao for advice or someone to talk to, but the woman was already in Ozai's sight, he made sure Azula knew he had seen them together, acting weak, so she was out of the question. Ursa wouldn't understand and Zuko would simply think she was lying. Ty Lee was the only person that understood her suffering, but for some reason Ty Lee's mother was keeping her locked up in their home, away from Azula, after the bubbly girl wanted to stay with Azula for a third day straight after her first nightmare.

The royal sighed, she had to get through this alone, like she always had.

* * *

><p>"If you don't mind me asking, young prince, why not take Azula's power now instead of having a child go through an unimaginable amount of pain?" Shintao took out a book from the shelve in the war room, scanning it before putting it back. "She's nothing more than tool that needs to be sharpened," Ozai glared at the man, "that means she must be shaped first by force." Shintao let out a small chuckle, "and your fine with the your daughter at the edge of death?"<p>

"Nothing more than a tool," Ozai repeated himself, "how long until you 'wake' her up? It has been years since I sought you out!"

"Soon, Ozai, you just have to be the grown up and wait!" Shintao formed a frown, it was like he was dealing with a child, "I don't understand why you are so impatient, the pain will not be yours."

"Iroh has reached the walls of Ba Sing Se and has just requested more re-enforcements, if he manages to even touch the wall he will be a living legend." Ozai turned to the man, "if he comes back everyone will see him as a hero, crumbling walls or not!" Suddenly, Shintao grabbed Ozai by his collar with his right arm and pushed him against the wall, "you are so pathetic it makes me sick!" Ozai put his hands on Shintao's neck and tried to choke him, but froze when he saw Shintao cock his free arm back. On the water bender's arm the water in the air slowly froze, creating a large shiv that was pressed at the large vein on Ozai's neck. "You are nothing more than a child!" Shintao smirked when Ozai pulled his hands way from his neck, "you have no idea just what powers your are dealing with! Especially Azula's!" "I know what I'm dealing with!" Ozai put his hand on Shintao's stomach and focused all of his energy on the palm of his hand, "power is all the same, you just have to know what you are dealing with!" A flash of light between them made the prince smirk, but it soon faded when he saw a liquid layer had protected Shintao's torso from his flame. "My kind if nothing like your bending," Shintao was about to pierce Ozai's neck when he saw the shadows around him, despite the light source they were all pointing at him. With a sigh, Shintao dropped the prince and the shiv turned to water and fell on the ground. "I'm sorry about that," Shintao adjusted himself, "momentary laps of judgment…"

Ozai, squirmed away from the bender until his back hit the book shelves, "what are you!?" Shintao looked surprised at Ozai's question, "what am I doesn't matter, Azula will be awaken soon. However, you did bring up a fine point…what should we do to stop Iroh."

Ozai stoop up, supporting himself with the bookshelves, "there's no way of making him turn back, when he enters the battlefield he becomes a different man."

"We will have to break him," Shintao smirked, "if something were to happen Lu Ten he might change his mind." The Prince felt words of protest about to slip out of his mouth, but swallowed them before he even opened his mouth, "if I know Iroh, he will have a handful of his strongest men around Lu Ten." Shintao let out a small chuckle, "you will find that my influence is wide, if not then the promise of power will change their minds."

"Even if you got to Lu Ten, what makes you think ordinary men can defeat him? Iroh did teach him after he killed the last dragon."

"You leave the planning to me, young prince, all you have to worry about is that Azula gets a good night's rest ." The Fire bender was about to speak up but remembered what had happened a few moments ago, leaving him speechless. "I am afraid this is all the time we had,' Shintao crossed his arms and smirked, "remember, be patient."

* * *

><p>"What's wrong with your sister, Zuko?" Mai asked Zuko as they both watched Azula slump against Ty lee, trying not to fall asleep, from their corner of the playroom. Even though Mai had a strange attraction towards the eldest royal, the topic of Azula always made her forget about how she felt about him, "she acts like she has never slept." Zuko, surprised Mai was the first one to speak, hesitated to reply, "sh-she is just acting like that to get on Ty Lee's soft side."<p>

"But Ty Lee is practically married to Azula," Mai raised her left eyebrow when she noticed Azula rest her head on Ty Lee's shoulder. "Azula likes to play mind games, she probably pushed Ty Lee on the ground and wants her not to mad anymore," Zuko shrugged, stepping away from the monotone girl when he noticed their shoulders were about to touch, "Azula always lies about everything." Mai nodded, over the course of the time she had known Azula she had seen Azula lie to Ty Lee for unknown reasons, mostly reasons as to why she had pushed her or yelled at her to stop talking. However, Mai had also seen Azula try to make up with Ty Lee a few seconds after, Zuko seemed to be too preoccupied with his mother to notice this, so why would she need to pretend when Ty Lee forgave her for everything? The bored girl sighed when she noticed she was rubbing the hilt of a small letter opener she had tucked in her sleeve, she was really over thinking this. An idea suddenly popped into Mai's head, making her smirk and take out the little knife, "I know a way to wake her up…" Zuko noticed something glimmering on Mai's hand before he saw it was a knife, "what are you going to do?" he was unsure just what his crush was going to do with that, "you are not going to stab Azula, are you…?"

"No, I don't want to die," Mai held the tip of the letter opener on her left hand and aimed towards the wall behind Azula's right side. Before the only male could protest again, Mai hand extended her left arm and released the knife.

Just as it was about to pass by Azula, the prodigy's eyes snapped open and she grabbed the top of the knife in mid air before launching it towards the two, but this time there was white fire trailing behind it. Mai and Zuko's eyes grew wide when they saw it pass them and pierce the wall at a perfect horizontal angle. "Just what do you think you are doing!?" Azula stood up and walked towards her brother and Mai, the lack of sleep practically destroyed her fuse and made her really irritable. Zuko's felt his knees tremble when he saw into his sisters eyes, they were cold and pale, the fire behind them was barely there or simply gone, "w-we were just fooling around…"

"By throwing a knife at us!?" Azula was about to grab Zuko by his shirt when Mai stepped between them, "that's enough, we didn't mean to hurt you." Azula gritted her teeth, ready to throw poisonous words at the older girl, but her mind went blank when she felt arms wrapped around her neck and hold her in a tight embrace, "It's fine, 'Zula, it was just a prank." The bender sighed, she really hated Ty Lee seeing her like this, seething with anger, "fine…since I threw it back…we can call it even." Mai nodded, "I-I'm sorry," it wasn't towards Azula, but to Ty Lee. All of the girls turn towards Zuko, waiting for him to calm the waters between them. The boy was still petrified from what he saw in Azula's eyes, so much that words couldn't form in his mind. "Say you're sorry," Mai jabbed Zuko's side with her elbow, snapping the male out of his trans. Out of instinct, Zuko looked around for an escape and fled the room.

"pathetic," Azula scuffed, even though the other two girls didn't say anything, she knew they thought the same, only they used kinder words.

"What's wrong with you?" Mai asked once everything had calmed down and she had retreated her letter opener, "you're not usually that angry." Azula sighed, maybe telling Mai the truth would make her stop asking questions, "I've been having nightmares, I am just a little irritated from the lack of sleep." Mai raised her left eyebrow, "you don't look like you haven't sleep that well."

"I don't know why that is," Azula shook her head, her body never really synced with how she felt inside. "It's alright, 'Zula," Ty Lee put her hand on the royal's right shoulder, "you can sleep here, and if something bad happens Mai and I will wake you," Ty Lee gave Azula a bright smile. The bender looked at the bubbly girl and then to Mai, who shrugged, "alright…I just hope Zuko doesn't run to Ursa."

"Yeah, and maybe the Earth King will come to the palace and surrender," Mai said under her breath. "Don't you like Zuko?" Ty Lee asked, tilting her head to the side, "why are you making fun of him?".

"That doesn't mean what Azula isn't right," Mai crossed her arms and leaned against the nearest thing. Azula ignored Ty Lee and Mai exchange words and walked towards the couch Ursa sat in when she read Zuko stories and laid on it. In a few seconds, Azula closed her tired eyes and drifted into the darkness.

"Why do y-" Ty Lee stopped talking when she saw Mai put her index finger in front on her lips, signaling her to stop. "She is a sleep…" Mai pulled her finger back and pointed at Azula's sleeping form. Ty Lee looked at Azula and raised her left eyebrow, "what is it?"

"Lower your voice," Mai grabbed Ty Lee's forearm and pulled her away as far as she could from Azula. "What is it?" Ty Lee whispered, looking over her shoulder to make sure Azula was okay, "we shouldn't be far from her, what if her nig-'

"What's with your obsession with Azula!?" Mai's question stopped Ty Lee from speaking. The pink girl tried to figure out what Mai was asking, but the question made her mind go blank. "W-we're friends, I'm just…I'm just helping her," each word had to be thought out before they came out of her mouth, it was hard for her to answer Mai's question since her tongue twisted as other words tried to come out at the same time.

"Don't lie to me, Ty Lee," the cold tone on the older girl's voice scared Ty Lee, Mai only used that tone when she was scolding her for following the bully's commands. The last time Mai had talked to her like that was when Ty Lee was made to get on her knees and kiss the bully's shoes, before she meet Azula and after Mai had dragged the bully through mud and thrown her with the sheep-pigs the girl's academy had.

"I'm just returning the favor," it took Ty Lee a few seconds to gather her thoughts, "she did stop the bullies from picking on me."

"That doesn't mean you have to be her personal servant! Don't hide things from me, Ty, why do you look at Azula with puppy-bear eyes?" Ty Lee bit her lower lip, "because…because she pays attention to me and it makes me feel good knowing someone so strong is protecting me."

"You like her because she pays attention to you? I pay attention to you, but the second you see Azula you leave me," Mai narrowed her eyes, Ty Lee was _her _friend, yet she seemed to like Azula a lot more. Ty Lee looked back at Azula then to Mai, "something about her…just makes me want to be close to her."

"Ty Lee…" Mai couldn't believe what she was saying, "are you in love with Azula?"

"What!?" Ty Lee jumped back, surprised that Mai would ever say something like that, "No! No…she is just my friend!" the red tint on her face betrayed her words, "she's very pretty and smart, but I don't like her like _that_!"

"You just said you liked being close to her," Mai smirked when Ty Lee tried to think of an excuse without finding one, "you may not know this, but a lot of the girls in the academy think you two are…together." A sudden look of sorrow appeared on Ty Lee's face, people were really linking Azula to her now, "I-I'll stop being so close then…" The thought of not hugging Azula every chance she got or hold her hand somehow made Ty Lee's chest tightened, she was certainly going to miss the warmth that came with Azula's touch. "I didn't mean it like that," Mai put her hand on Ty Lee's shoulder, trying to comfort her, "you shouldn't care what others say about you."

"But if people think that I like Azula that way I might not make any more friends."

Mai let out a heavy sigh, she desperately wanted Ty Lee to stay at arms length from Azula, but now that she got what she wanted something didn't feel right," alright, I'll tell you when you get to close." Ty Lee smiled and hugged the girl with black hair, "thanks!"

~X~

Zuko entered his room, taking on deep gasps of air while supporting himself with his knees. A smile appeared when he realized he had just escaped Azula's wrath, but it quietly faded. The smile was replaced with gritted teeth and a furrowed brow. "I ran away again…" Zuko narrowed his eyes, his shoulders slumped and head towards the ground, "why do I always run away!?" The bender slammed his fist against the wooden door, his form stiffen when he felt pain travel from the wooden door to his fist,and into his body. The bender let out a cry of pain before bringing his arm to his chest, examining it for blood. After a few second of silence and letting his anger fizzle out, Zuko closed his door and got on his bed. "I need to clear my mind," Zuko told himself, his other had specifically told him not to over think things.

As he stared at the ceiling, Zuko couldn't help but replay how Azula was able to grab Mai's letter opener and send it back with flames trailing behind it, "how was she able to set on fire?" The boy tried to picture every movement Azula performed, but all he could imagine were her eyes, cold and relentless, unlike fire that was warm and reckless. The more he focused on Azula's eyes, the more he noticed how different they were than the rest of his family's. They were lighter, resembling gold instead of topaz, but at the same time they didn't stand out like they should, the warmth and light that draw people's attention was missing from it's color. _"They weren't always like that,"_ Zuko told himself when he imaged Azula when she first meet Ty Lee, her eyes had fire behind them and the color was rich. "I wonder what changed."

Before Zuko would start wondering what happened to Azula, the door opened. Zuko quickly sat up, ready for another attack, when he saw it was Ursa, "mom?"

"I went to the play room and saw you weren't there, did Azual kick you out?" Ursa moved toward her son. Afraid that if he told Ursa about the knife she wouldn't let Mai come over anymore, so he decided to lied, "no, I was just tired and wanted to be alone." "You need to sleep earlier, Zuko," Ursa sat next him and kissed his forehead, "I have good news."

"Uncle Iroh is coming?" Zuko's face lit up at the idea of Iroh and Lu Ten spending time with him. "No, not yet," Ursa smiled at him, "your father wants to go to Ember Island!"

A large smile nearly took half of Zuko's face, every time they went to the island the happiest memories Zuko had were made. Ursa also thought this, maybe Ozai was finally letting go of his wrath and wanted to spend time with his family.

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><p>AN: Sorry there wasn't isn't bending on this chapter, Dual X1, but there will be in the next. I like to say this chapter is not my best, but the little time i've had to do this was tiny.


	15. 15 Shadows

A/N: School…bleh. Thank you guys for the reviews.

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><p>"<em>Ling Xian, Earth Warden," <em>Wan Shi Tong put down the scroll with Ling Xian's information and pulled out an ancient tome that was only held by strings, _"The original protectors of humanity, created out of the spirits of the beasts of the earth and humans, first to walk the Path of the Wretched." _The great owl took his eyes way from the writings, trying to remember what exactly the 'Path of the Wretched' was. Despite his servants' hard work of finding the material he needed, Wan Shi Tong was still missing the critical information. _'Think…you must have certainly come across those words before,' _memories of Agni's children and the Avatar nearly destroying his domain and books became too great for the spirit before he cleared his mind of everything, it pained him to remember his human and other non-spirit helpers and visitors burning in 'the cleansing' fire. Ignoring the bitterness that came with such memories, the great owl returned to the pile of tomes and scrolls that littered his work table. _"General of the Earth Nation and part of the first members of the Dai Li." _

"There's nothing left," Wan Shi Tong looked around the table for any other piece of information, anything, but there was none. With a heavy sigh, the great owl moved aside the small pile with Ling Xian's information to the side and pilled another to the center.

Shintao was next on Wan Shi Tong's list of people he had know, luckily for him there was a lot more on him than The Master. _"Shintao, Sea Warden. Second protectors of humanity, created with a fraction of the moon's light. After most of the Earth Warden fell for the curse of humanity, they were meant to keep them and humanity in check, but their mission was nearly impossible and a lot turned towards the dark side of water bending."_

"Blood bending," Wan Shi Tong muttered, it was one of the few things in the world he wanted erased from existence, but somehow it always resurfaced from time to time. _"Exiled from the North Pole after stealing water from the Spirit Oases and threatening to kill the Sea and Moon he disappeared. Presumed dead." _

"Two primordial benders, an ancient spirit, and a Phoenix, at almost sounds like a bad joke," Wan Shi Tong said sarcastically, only there was nothing about it that brightened his mood, Ling Xian, Shintao, and Azula should be trying to kill each other, that was what they were made to do, but somehow the earth and water benders had joined forces. With a heavy sigh, the great owl turned away from his work table and headed into the darkness created by his library shelves, _"I just hope I made the right decision…"_

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm the king of the world!" <em>

Azula was about to open the door to her room, her finger tips already touching the wood, when the voice that haunted her dreams echoed throughout her head. The bender quickly turned her head from side to side, but there was no one there, not even the occasional guard that patrolled the crimson halls. Azula brushed it off as her mind playing tricks on her from the lack of sleep, but the odd sensation that she was being watched made her hurry.

"_And it's crumbling down!" _

Just as she pushed the wooden barrier, Azula felt a surge of sharp pain inside her skull. The royal nearly fell on her knees as the pain increased, but she supported herself with the door frame and stumbled in. "What is this!?" Azula put her right hand on her eyes, the pain had moved from her head to behind her eyes. With her foot, Azula closed the door by kicking it, she didn't want anyone seeing her like this. Once the darkness surrounded her, Azula's vision because blurred and fuzzy and the pain became so great she fell to her knees, gripping both sides of her head. "Ahh!" the royal got on all fours when she felt her stomach churn and rumble.

"_All around me falls!"_

The contents of Azula's stomach suddenly rushed up her throat, only to be stopped by the royal's gag reflexes. Azula struggled to keep it all inside until she couldn't take it and spilled it all over the ground. She released everything she had in her stomach until there was nothing left, her stomach calmed down and the pain in her head returned. The royal tried to stand up and get to her bathroom, but lost her balance and fell again. Azula didn't feel anything wet near her head of body when she felt, which made her sigh, but her right hand was in the shallow puddle of her digested food.

Instead of disgust, Azula ignored her headache and was able to create a small flame on her left hand. There were no pieces of food or odd texture to the liquid, it was thick and warm instead. Scared of what she was going to see, Azula slowly brought the flame to her right side. Her golden eyes went wide when she saw the puddle was dark red and her right arm was covered in it, _'w-what is this!?' _The royal's hands started shaking, breaking the flow of energy to her flame and retuning the darkness in her room, when she realized it was her own blood when she tasted the leftover in her mouth.

"No one can help or believe you, your appearance betrays your true self."

Azula looked around and tried to create another light source but her hands were trembling too much. "Poor little Azula…no one will ever trust you because you always lie, but those lies are to keep a dark secret, aren't they?"

"Sh-show yourself, coward!"

"All in good time, little Azula," despite not seeing the source, Azula knew there was a smirk behind the words. The royal was about to try and stand up again, but her body was suddenly lifted from the ground, she tried to move her arms but they wouldn't respond. "You're lucky, very lucky, that I can't really do anything as of right now…" Azula's frantically tried to get her body to follow her directions, but it was as if her will was being over powered by someone else, making her mind fight for dominance and strain itself. Suddenly her body was moved back and forth in an instant and she lost consciousness.

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm sorry I can't go with you," Alkoa hugged his wife and child before they boarded a small ship, "stay safe!" <em>

"_They will only stay safe if you do what you are told," Shintao smirked as he watched the small boat drift of into the darkness. "Alright…" Alkoa turned to face the man responsible for breaking up his family apart, "I'll go, but you have to answer my question. Why did you choose me? I'm just a healer." Shintao let out a small chuckle, "no, you're not, and you know it. They only reason why we choose you is because your healing abilities. If I could still heal we wouldn't need you." _

Alkoa and Shintao stepped out of the darkness inside Azula's room. "You didn't have to blood bend her, the effects on using that on someone so young can cause permanent damage," Alkoa said before he picked up Azula. Despite his desire to help Azula, since she was about the same age of his own child, Alkoa know if he tried his family would be killed. With a flick of Shintao's wrist, the blood on the ground and Azula hand was extracted and flowed towards his hand. A glob of crimson blood floated above the blood bender's hand before Shintao took out a small canteen and bended the liquid in. "Why do you need that?" Alkoa asked as he laid Azula on her bed. "It is not ordinary blood, the shadows are in her now.""Shadows?" Alkoa raised his eyebrow as he took out a small bowl and a leather canteen filled with water. "I do not know much about it, but before benders humans had the ability to control mana, life energy," Shintao walked over to a drawer and searched for something to light the candles in the room, "that means they had the ability control anything, even shadows, as long as they know how to, only certain spirits have that ability now, and we are allied with one." Shintao sighed when he finally found some matches.

"So-so the spirit is inside Azula now?" Alkoa emptied the water into the bowl and put his hands above it, making it glow and swirl. "No, a third spirit would tear her body apart, I do not know what went inside . Doubt, misery, misfortune? only time will let us know."

"Enough with the questions," Shintoa said as he lit the last candle and put out the match, "it's time for you to see how far she has progressed." Alkoa had been asking question to put off his order, but now Shintoa had had enough, "what is it that I am trying to find?"

"How dark her mind really is."

"Am I suppose to know how to do that?" Alkoa looked over his shoulder at Shintao for directions. "Don't play stupid," Shintao confirmed he had had enough, "every healer learns about the paths of energy in the human body."

"Alright," Alkoa quickly tried to disarm the man since he could order his wife and child to be killed.

The glowing water covered Alkoa's hands, _'Open her Third Eye and let you energy flow with hers,' _the healer reminded himself before putting his right hand above Azula's eyes and left on her heart.

* * *

><p>Azula's Mind<p>

_It's dark and cold…I can't see or breath. I feel cold so why am I sweating? It's almost like I'm at the last stage of hyperthermia, why would her mind be like this? Wait… _

Alkoa opened his eyes and saw his was floating in a vest darkness, _'no…I haven't even entered her mind. Then…where am I?'_ The healer tried to move but he couldn't do anything other than struggle, _'damn it, somehow she has blocked me out or her brain isn't active, but that would mean she has died. No, if she was dead I wouldn't be here, wherever 'here' is.' _Alkoa closed his eyes again and focused.

_Azula, you have to let me in, I can help you! I just need access to you mind. I'm not going to hurt you!_

"What are you doing here?" A soft females voice made Alkoa open his eyes again. "A woman?" the healer examined her and realized who she was, "you're the mother of that girl that never leaves Ty Lee alone, what was her name…Jiao?"

'_What is she doing here? Hmmm…Azula must see her as someone important.' _

"I am here because Azula wants me to be here, what is it that you want? Why are you trying to go inside her head?" the woman narrowed her eyes, "you're not going to hurt her like Ozai, are you?"

'_The shadows are in her…I can't risk telling the truth,' _Alkoa put his arms in front of himself, showing Jiao he didn't mean harm, "no, no, I am here just to check on her mind, to see if she needs to be healed or not." Jiao lowered her guard, "ever since she had a horrible nightmare it's been getting darker. If you can…please bring her out of the darkness, it's been getting worse lately."

Slowly, Jiao's body became a bright white light that grew with each passing moment. Once Alkoa couldn't take the blinding light he covered his face with his hands and closed his eyes. A sudden gust of wind brought weight down on Alkoa's shoulder and he fell down a few inches before his feet touched a surface. Cracking one eye open, the healer noticed the bright light was replaced by dim sunlight that barely penetrated thick black clouds. Lowering his hands, Alkoa looked around at his new surroundings. The ground was made just a flat brown grey stone with burning piles of old Fire Nation tanks, on the distance were large triangle like buildings with even more burning scrap metal. "This is very familiar, were have I see this before?" Alkoa asked himself as he started moving towards the large buildings, focusing on the smaller buildings as he passed them.

Alkoa's eyes grew wide when he finally reached the main courtyard of all the buildings, on the ground was the large symbol of the Air Nomads, scuffed with blast marks and tank track. "An air temple!? How does someone born and raised of the Capital know of this!?" Alkoa looked around, scared of anything else that might be out of place, "this girl…."

"I showed her this," a strong man's voice came from behind the healer. Slowly, Alkoa looked over his shoulder and nearly jumped when he saw Fire Lord Sozin standing there. "W-what are you doing here!?" the water bender turned around and started walking backwards, the cold look on the Fire Lord's eyes made his knees shake and heart race. "I can ask you the same thing," the aged man stepped towards the healer, "who are you?"

"I-I'm with Shintao and Ling Xian!" Alkoa tried to turn around and run, but his body froze just has he was about to flee. "I see…well, her mind is progressing, she just has to spend more time in the dark before she can be 'awaken'," the voice of a woman said instead of Sozin's. Some force made Alkoa turned around, despite his mind yelling at him to run away, and confront the being. The woman had long light brown hair, tan skin, brown eyes, and was wearing a water tribe clothing and a smile. "Are you Sozin?" was all Alkoa could ask, his mind was working so fast at finding a way to get out that he couldn't really know what was happening. "Yes and no, but you are not here for me, you are here for Azula." The woman stepped aside, revealing the small Fire Nation royal. Azula was wearing her regular outfit, everything was about the same, except she was looking down and about to start crying. "Azula…" Alkoa wanted to go to small child but his body still wasn't taken his directions.

The woman kneeled down and whispered something into Azula's ears before walking away into the horizon. The royal's eyes became pale and a blank expression took over her figure, "yes…" Once the woman was gone, Alkoa fell to the hard grown, causing him to let out a grunt, but he quickly got up, "Azula, who was that?" Without saying a word, Azula got into her offensive stance. "What are you doing that for?" Alkoa stepped back, "I'm only here to check up on you."

"You're the reason why I'm here…" the look on Azula's blank expression was replaced by anger. "No! I'm not," Alkoa got into his defensive stance and stepped back again, "I'm don't want to cause any harm!"

'_I'm in her mind, spirits know how powerful she can be in her domain,' _Alkoa got ready for any attack, _'and I don't really know how to get back, I've never tried something like this before!' _

Azula charged towards Alkoa as the man was distracted by his thoughts and cocked her left arm when she was close enough. _'Close range!? But she is a fire bender!'_ Alkoa quickly grabbed her left hand and right before bringing them both down, causing Azula to lose her momentum, and up, the royal dangled a few inches from the ground. "What has your father been teaching you?" Alkoa asked, thinking he had won the battle already. Azula kicked Alkoa on his stomach with both her feet, making him release her, and jumped back when her feet touched the ground. Alkoa gripped his stomach, it actually hurt more than what he expected of someone with Azula's size. Before he could defend again, Azula had sprung forward with both her arms pulled back with two white balls of fire on her palms. The fire bender slammed her right hand on Alkoa's temple, just as the limb was about to touch Alkoa's skin the balls of fire increased in size and grew out of control. Alkoa was about to go flying to the left, but was met with Azula's left hand. Azula couldn't stop her momentum and she crashed into Alkoa, sending them tumbling back. When Alkoa fell on the ground, Azula was sent a few more feet before her weight finally brought her body to a stop.

The royal was the first to stand up, grabbing her right arm that hit the hard ground, but quickly got into her stance again when she saw steam coming from the healers head instead of smoke. "H-how…w-what!?" Azula cautiously approached the man, she had never seen or heard something like this before.

"Damn it…" Alkoa's eyes grew wide when the steam finally broke and looked at Azula, "manipulating water like that still takes a lot of energy," Alkoa started gasping for air once it was safe for him to breath, _'I wasn't even sure there was water in the air to create a shield…' _

"Give up, you can't win!" Azula looked down at the man, "leave this pl-" the same blank expression in Azula's eyes returned, her golden eyes seemed to be fixed between Alkoa and her feet. "What's the matter with you?" Alkoa slowly stood up since he had to use his knees and ground for support, "are you alright?" The healer approached the royal, ready for any attack, before he noticed what Azula was looking at. "What are you looking at," the healer looked down and watched as the shadows created by both of them waved and swirled, "what in the world is that!?"

All of the fires died, turning the benders' surroundings almost pitch black. "Hehehe…you're time is up, healer, it is time for you to leave!" a dark and soothing voice echoed throughout Azula's mind. "Azu-" something wrapped around Alkoa's ankles and wrists and lifted him off the ground. "Let me go!" Alkoa tried to pull himself free from the hold.

"_It's time for you to leave,_" both Azula and the dark voice said at the same time. The fires returned with even more force and instability, waving at random and spreading throughout the air temple. Alkoa felt a shiver run down his spin when he saw the things holding him up were shadows that wrapped all over his body and Azula's. The royal closed his eyes and approached the man, "_tell Ling Xian to get ready,_" Azula raised her palm to Alkoa's chest.

When the healer felt Azula's small palm touch his chest, he stopped breathing and shut his eyes, reading himself for anything. A flash of light and intense heat sent him flying back, crashing into one of the buildings

-Physical World-

Shintao carefully watched the expression on Azula and Alkoa's face, they kept on changing every few minutes until Azula turned stiff and Alkoa started breathing radically. Suddenly a flash of white light send the healer flying and towards a wall, but was stopped by Shintao's blood bending. Alkoa's eyes snapped open when he felt he was still being controlled by the invisible force and started to struggle, "let me go!"

"Stop moving!" Shintao added pressure to the hold until Alkoa calmed down, "what did you see?"

"Azula…and a strange being that kept changing forms. It took over her, using her like a puppet," the healer said as he was lowered to the ground and released from Shintao's hold, "I don't know what you are doing to her, but when I left I felt a energy rise out of nowhere."

"That's enough, you can tell me the rest when we reach the underground." Alkoa nodded, his eyes returned to Azula's sleeping form, he couldn't help but fell pity for her, _'Ozai sought out Shintao to somehow steal you power…your father is the reason for all of this, I hope one day you will see and defend yourself.' _

* * *

><p><em>The shadows…madness…are trying to take control me. It has attached strings to her heart, and now it's using her against me. No…no, it isn't strong enough. The Light will PURGE the shadows. Agni's fires will tear you apart…Deceiver.<em>

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><p>AN: Rioshix, if you hate Ozai now you will want him dead after the next few chapters. Alright…so things are going to get a lot darker from here.


	16. 16 Vacation

A/N: Really sorry about the very late and short update, but I am buried to the neck with term papers and final exams.

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><p>'<em>Sometimes I wonder if there really is something wrong with me. If there's a real reason why Ursa dislikes me or why Zuko feels he has to put me down for him to rise. If father's harsh training is really for my well being or if I am just more prove he should be the heir?' <em>Azula sat in the middle of the Air Nomad symbol with her legs pulled to her chest and face buried in her knees. _'I hate it when I'm alone…I begin to question myself and it ends with me burning anything in sight. I wonder if that's why I'm stuck here, surrounded by fires.' _

"You're never alone, child," the woman from before appeared in front of the royal, "I'll always been with you." Azula didn't know who she was, but the royal didn't bother to threaten her, "w-who are you?" The woman kneeled down and placed her right hand on Azula's shoulder, pulling Azula's face away from her knees, "no matter where you are, I will always be there! Even when surrounded by light, shadows are created between your fingers and toes!" The woman grabbed Azula's hands and brought them to her lips, sending a chill throughout Azula's body instead of the warm sensation Jiao or Ty Lee gave her. "I am here to keep you company when no one will," the woman smiled at the girl and hugged her, "oh… you've grown so much since I last saw you." Despite Azula not knowing who she woman was, she leaned her head against the stranger's chest. _'Madness is what keeps the wretched company…' _the woman rested her chin on Azula's head, bringing the girl as close as she could into her. "I think your brother saw me when you were born…yes, he did," the woman rubbed Azula's back, "but I choose you, not him, I'm the one that looked over you in your crib while your mother was at a party or reading to Zuko." Images of a baby wiggling and moving in the darkness brought tears to Azula's eyes, but she forced them back. "It's alright…lean into me, give me all of your negative emotions, there's no need to fester in them."

~X~

"Did you feel it too?" Lee asked his mother when he saw her walking towards the balcony facing the royal palace. "The air coming from the palace is stale," the elderly woman frowned, "I haven't felt something like this since the girl was born."

"Azula?" Lee raised his eyebrow before stopping and opening the door to the balcony. "You're sense wasn't strong enough to notice, but when she was born a chill ran down my spine and the air turned stale for a moment-" both the Lees stopped when they saw Ty standing outside barefooted, wearing her pajama and looking at the palace. "Ty Lee, what are you doing up?" Lord Lee put his hand on her shoulder, but she didn't notice it until he lightly squeezed it. "Something is wrong…there's a cloud of ugly colors swirling around the palace," Ty Lee whispered, her eyes never left the palace. "An evil has ascended upon the Royal Family, I am surprised you can sense it, Ty," Ty Lee's grandmother picked up the child and walked closer to edge of the balcony. "I've been able to see colors around people, but not like this."

"Yes…well, our family is known to be sensitive to the land and people," Lord Lee tried to explain just what his blood line could sense to Ty Lee, but stopped when he noticed she wasn't listening, "I thought your mothers stubborn ways put an end to the sensitivity."

"Looks like Ty is the only one with the ability," Ty Lee's grandmother focused her eyes and saw a black mass around the palace, "she is right…" Despite years of seeing and sensing others emotions, the grandmother didn't really know how or why she had the ability, there was usually nothing she could with them. "Tell me," Lee looked at his daughter, "have you noticed something odd in the palace, Ty?"

"I haven't been there that much," Ty Lee looked down, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright, you shouldn't get close to that place until the dark cloud passes," the elderly woman turned around and started walking back to Ty Lee's room, "there is nothing we can do, we just have to hope it doesn't effect the judgment of the royals."

* * *

><p>~Morning~<p>

"Azula, wake up!" Zuko knocked on Azula's door, he didn't want to risk getting burned if he entered his sisters room, "we will be leaving for Ember Island at noon!"

Azula's eyes snapped open once the memories of the night before came flooding it, making the bender sit up and put her right arm in front of her. To her lack of surprise, it was clean, _'another dream? No, it-it felt too real to be dream, but…then where's the blood?' _

"Azula!" Zuko's excitement got the better of him and opened the door, he wanted everyone to be ready for their trip to Ember Island. Zuko's eyes meet Azula's form and smiled, "come on, don't you want to get there in time?" Azula, busy staring at her arm, simply nodded, "yeah…" The girl lowered her arm and turned her attention to Zuko, "did you notice anything weird last night?"

'_Everything in the room is the same or else Zuko would make a scene and run straight to Ursa,' _Azula thought to herself while Zuko tried to remember anything out of the ordinary happening the night before. "It was hotter than usual?" the first born shrugged before turning around and closing the door.

"Useless as always," Azula pouted, pulled the sheets off her body and swung her legs over the edge of her bed. The royal sat at the edge of her bed for a few minutes, thinking about what was happening to her the night before. The only thing, other than throwing up blood, that Azula could remember was a sharp pain in her head, the rest was blur of colors. "Al-Alkoa…" the name was the only Azula could bring back, "the healer from the school."

"Azula?" Ursa's soft voice pulled the bender from her thoughts. Azula turned her head and saw her mother standing under the door frame, "are you okay?"

"Yeah," Azula stood up and walked to her wardrobe, picking out a lighter outfit since she was going to spend a lot of time outside. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Azula tried not to sound irritated. Azula took her clothes and went into her bathroom without saying anything or looking at Ursa. The princess lowered her head and turned around, closing the door and heading to wherever Zuko was at the moment.

* * *

><p>AN: Someone asked if Jiao was a self-insert or if any OCs were. There are no self-inserts in any of my stories because I don't really like them. Not sure when the next chapter will be up.


	17. 17 Zuzu

A/N: I really don't like updating months apart…but the last two months are very chaotic for me. This chapter is shaky since I wrote it in a hurry, sorry in advance.

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><p>"Tell me, what exactly is a 'wretched'?" Alkoa asked Shintao when he entered the deck of a Fire Nation war ship from the inside. "What makes you ask that?" the blood bender questioned without looking at Alkoa, his eyes were fixed on Ember Island. "Xian and yourself seem to use it a lot, and since I've been dragged into the middle of this…" the healer looked over to the island and saw a large number of people at the shores of the island, "a lot people here."<p>

"Let's just hope they don't get in the way, there shouldn't be any at the royal's private beach," again, Shintao didn't bother to look at Alkoa. "If a mother gives up on her child, who will believe in it?" Shintao finally looked at Alkoa. "Well-"

"No one," Shintao looked over his shoulder when he saw a deck hand walk by, carrying a large create into the lower levels of the ship, "the bond between mother and child should be unbreakable, so answer me this, what kind of mother would abandon one of her offspring?" Alkoa looked down, trying to think, when he saw the royal ship at the corner of his eyes, "Ursa…"

"A mother who thought the child wasn't fit to be loved or couldn't be loved," Shintao's lips formed a smirk, "however, the mother will fool herself into thinking she is doing the right thing, especially when there's another child in the way."

"Zuko, the milk drinker."

"There is no clear difference between Azula and Zuko, at least not to this point, but Ozai's harsh treatment has made the princess delusional, she thinks she has to choose between the two," the smirk of Shintao's face got bigger. "I still don't see how this has anything to do with my question," Alkoa commented. "Ursa has abandoned Azula, leaving her with insecurities and to wonder about in the mist, it is there where someone like her can become a 'wretched' if she is left alone."

"Are you one of the 'wretched'?" Alkoa raised his eyebrow. "Being a 'wretched' was the Spirits' punishment for those that would betray their origins. Our kind was created to protect humanity from themselves, but instead we killed the innocent."

"What form of punishment gives someone incredible powers?"

"That," Shintao's expression returned to it's usual emotionless form, "that is an question for later. Get your things together, we will be landing soon," Shintao said before walking to the captain's room.

'_A wretched is someone who betrayed their origins…by killing. Does that mean they will force Azula to kill? No, they'll probably leave that for later, the first thing is her 'awakening' which should be any day now…' _Alkoa started chewing on his lower lip at the thought of helping anyone aimed to hurt a child, but he had no other choice if he wanted his family to stay alive. _'If I wasn't captured in one of those damn raids in the north!' _Alkoa gripped the sides of his pants, _'I wouldn't be here or have to take part of something like this!' _The water bender cursed his need to help others with his bending, even strangers, if only he hadn't stopped to heal a man he had never talked to before.

* * *

><p>Wan Shi Tong was wondering the hall of his library, making sure everything was in order or really there, when he noticed blue fabric and fur between two shelves at the corner on his eye. The great owl stopped and was about to turn to the object when he felt a dark aura behind him, "Why must someone your age play games?" The woman from the water tribe smiled, "there is no need to worry, everything is here and accounted for." Wan Shi Tong turned around to face the woman, but there was nothing there other than large shadows. Wan Shi Tong suddenly lifted his large wings, sending gusts of wind at every direction, scattering dust gathered through the years and making the shelves tremble. "For someone living in the human world you lack humor," the water tribe woman said as she stepped out, trying to fix her hair, "do you have any idea how bothersome hair is?"<p>

"I do not understand why you keep using that form, you should be powerful enough to create your own physical body."

"Yes…but I've grown fond of this form, it brought quite the entertainment before," the woman smirked, "but those days are over."

"Yes, I recall the mischief you caused when you went after someone you thought needed to be punished. Now what is it that you want?" Wan Shi Tong started walking again towards the heart of the library. "Can't an old friends and allies spend time together?" the woman followed the great owl, making sure she didn't step on his feathers. "Crossing from both worlds takes a lot of energy, Agni might have noticed-"

"For someone who knows a thousand things you lack the knowledge of what is important. Today the Royal's left for Ember Island, it is there where Azula's third eyes will be forced opened." Both beings stopped, Wan Shi Tong gathered his thoughts before he started walking again, "tell me, what powers have you brought to this world?"

"Nothing special," the woman stopped walking and raised her arms towards the beast, "certainly nothing that can truly influence or hurt a living thing."

"What are you-" Wan Shin Ton tried to turn his head but his entire body froze, "blood bending," he tried to sound calm but the it was hard since he couldn't control his body. "No…look around you," the woman took a step towards the creature. Wan Shi Tong's dark eyes looked around and saw shadows created by something invisible gripping his own all over, "I cannot use this outside a place touched by the spirits," she released him and lowered her arms, "the only thing I can actually use is illusion and cause a few nightmares _if_ I get inside their body, but even that's weak…if I did use something else Agni would see me he would turn me into a pile of ash."

* * *

><p>Once the royals toured their family's private beach they settled down on the courtyard of the beach house. Ursa and Ozai were sipping some tea Ursa had made on a table while Zuko was practicing the basics of bending and Azula was busy burning leafs on her palm. "What would you guys like to do first?" Ursa questioned her family, she wanted this trip to be a positive one. "Whatever you wish," Ozai smiled at her then looked at his children.<p>

"I want to duel Azula!" Zuko challenged his sister when he noticed he had the chance of impressing Ozai and Ursa. "Zuko, don't," Ursa protested but was interrupted by Ozai, "it's fine, let them as long as there is no bending or actual hitting."

"Yeah! Nothing real, let's just show mom and dad who is better" a large smile took over Zuko's face. Azula looked up, squashing the flame to put it out, and stood up, "alright."

"Remember, no actual bending," Ozai glared at his children before taking a sip of his tea.

Both Azula and Zuko got on the opposite sides of the court yard before bowing and getting on their stances. Azula put her right foot in front of her left and put her arms up, Zuko mimicked and both cautiously approached each other. "You can't beat me, Zuko," Azula said as she started moving clockwise around her brother. "You don't know that!" Zuko frowned, "I've been practicing really hard!"

After a few minutes of them circling each other Azula dropped her stance and crossed her arms, "are you going to make a move or something?"

"I'm waiting for an opening!" Zuko also dropped his stance and walked closer to his sister. "You're the one that wanted to do this," Azula smirked, "isn't the boy suppose to go first?"

"Fine!" Zuko suddenly tried to punch Azula, aiming for her jaw, but she simply blocked it with her right arm. Azula grabbed Zuko's arm with her other hand, put her foot between Zuko's feet, and pulled the limp to the side. The young boy tripped over Azula's feet and fell on his face, making Ursa come to his side. "Zuko, are you okay?" Ursa tried to help her son to stand, but was pushed away, "I want a rematch!"

"You're just going to lose," Azula shrugged, "what's the point?" Zuko got up by himself and furrowed his brow, "I want a rematch!" Azula scowled at her brother, irritated by his need to impress their parents, "fine! But you better make a move!" Ursa frowned when she saw the way her children glared at each other, but got out of the way since she knew there was nothing going to stop them/

Once they bowed and got into their stance, both Azula and Zuko examined each other, looking for weak points. The first one to make a move was Zuko, who tried to land a punch of Azula's face, forgetting his agreement about actual hitting, but she moved to the side and tried to sweep Zuko's feet. Just as his sister's foot made contact, Zuko jumped back, out of reflex he nearly sent a fireball towards Azula but held it back. Azula followed Zuko, trying to get closer, but he kept moving back, this made Azula smirk since she was about to corner her brother. "Remember what I thought you, Zuko" Ozai's calm voice broke Azula's concentration and made her look over her shoulder, giving Zuko just enough time to slip and push Azula towards the side instead of actually punching. Azula nearly lost her balance but managed to balance herself before she fell on her side. She turned to Zuko and tried to swipe his feet from underneath him, but Zuko managed to get away again and quickly went to Azula's back and pushed her towards the ground. This time Azula didn't really lose her balance, but she did step forward, losing her stance and giving Zuko an opening to swipe her feet.

"Are you really using cheap tricks, Zuko!?" Azula jabbed Zuko's torso with her elbow, "two can play that game!" Zuko stumbled back, grabbing on to the impact area, and fell when his feet tripped over each other. Azula smirked, crossing her arms and walking to Zuko's side, "it seems you still have to practice more." Zuko glared at his sister before standing up, "that wasn't fair!"

"That's enough," Ozai interrupted his kids by putting his arm between them, "you started playing dirty, Zuko, you can't blame Azula if she did too." Zuko crossed his arms and pouted, "aren't girls suppose to fight like girls?"

"Well, Zuko, I guess since I beat you I am more of a boy than you are, I think you need a prettier name than Zuko," Azula said with a mocking tone, "'Zuzu' will make a perfect!"

"Okay, that is enough, Azula," Ursa put her hand on Azula's right shoulder. Zuko smiled but it faded when Ursa turned her attention on him, "you too, Zuko, you should've have played like that."

"What do you guys say?" Ozai raised his eyebrow. "we're sorry…" Azula and Zuko said in unison, both lowered their shoulders and looked at the ground. "Good!" Ursa said with a cheery voice, she wanted the bad blood to fade, "go get ready and we will leave for the theater soon."


	18. 19 Play

A/N: caught a big case of writing block…Sorry for the short chapter:

* * *

><p><em>It's dark…has it always been this dark? Every time I close my eyes and reopen them everything fades just a little. How long until it's completely gone? Throughout my life and previous the void in my heart gets bigger, my being deteriorates and I slowly lose my grip on what is real. My master…he cared not for my well being, but for his selfish desires. He put out the light and plunged the world into darkness for so long no one even thought of a world without it…I lost everything when he perished and was chained and dragged beneath the earth. <em>

_Where has my life gone? Nothing is like it was like before, I know not who I am anymore…when will I be set free?_

_There it is again, that pulsing source of energy deep within my being. This energy…it's what has kept my together, a source of hope and light, but the darkness is closing in. Two voices inside…they whisper words into my ears and into hers. I've kept them at bay, but the shadows somehow slip. For some reason the light whispers darker words than the whatever entered her body. What does this all mean!? Why am I awake now? Trapped in her subconscious. It's far too early, the development has been altered, I am afraid of what the outcome will be._

'_Judgment' that's what both voices whispered from time to time, what is going to be judge? My past actions or her future ones?_

* * *

><p>Azula, Zuko, and Ozai were all bored out of their minds as they watched the play about something none of them cared about. Azula would have tried to start something with Zuko but Ursa and Ozai were between them. Ursa had her arm around Azula's body while she leaned towards Ozai but not really into him, the mother had a smile as she watched the male lead kissed the female. Azula rolled her tired eyes and pouted, this was a waste of time, but at the same time she somehow enjoyed it. It was like a when she created white flames, they usually burned her but it also meant she was getting better and her fires were getting hotter. Suddenly the crimson curtains dropped and the dim fires grew in size, the people on the normal sits below started talking and walking towards the venders and restrooms. "Alright guys," Ursa stood up, "we have some time before the second part begins!" she almost sounded too excited. "Do we have to get up?" Zuko frowned, he really wanted the show to be over. "If we don't, you'll go during the show and might miss something important," Ursa placed her hand on Azula's shoulder, "let's go before the restrooms are too full."<p>

The young fire bender was about to say she didn't want to go, but decided it was better than sitting with her father and Zuko, "okay…" Ursa gave Azula a soft smile and helped her up, "we can get something to eat if you want too." The princess took hold of her daughters hand and both started walking towards the exit of the royal booth when they heard Zuko say something. "Can I get fire flakes?" Zuko asked. "Fire flakes are too spicy for girls, Zuzu," Azula said without even looking at her brother. "We'll get some for everyone," Ursa said before they exited the booth.

The second the two royal females were spotted near the restrooms for the upper class everyone left or bowed as they walked by. Ursa tried to tell them they shouldn't, but decided to leave it alone, if there were no lines then they would return to the play faster. The bathroom was beneath the royal standard, but far more luxurious than the ones of the first floor. To Azula's surprise her mother didn't even go into a stall, she went straight to the sink and took out a small velvet purse from her robe, "I thought you had to go."

"Oh no," Ursa took out some light red lipstick and opened it, "as part of the royal family a female must look presentable at all times, even if it is in their personal time." Azula scowled, worrying about running make up or even applying make up seemed like a waste of time. "You're tutor said you didn't want to learn about makeup, can I ask why?"

"It's a waste of time," Azula walked towards a lower leveled sink and turned on the cold water before washing her hands, she needed to do something or else she might leave Ursa alone and have to deal with the other people by herself.

"You are just like your father," Ursa tried to hide her true emotions, but noticed Azula had stopped fiddling with her hands. The princess soon realized it had come out the opposite of what she wanted, instead of it coming out as a joke it came out as a criticism. "I-I didn't mean it like that," Ursa put her makeup on the purse and put her hand on Azula's shoulder, "I just meant you have a lot more in common with Ozai than me."

"Everyone always says that…" Azula looked at her hands and watched as steam slowly started to build up, the energy flow through her hands started to become unstable as her anger grew. It wasn't that she was mad at Ursa, she was mad at everyone for being unable to separate Ozai and her. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, Azula gathered her focus until she had her emotions under some control, but her focus was broken when she felt warm hands around her upper body. "Don't worry…" Ursa's soft voice rang through the girl's ears, "you are your own person and I know you will understand it soon, I have been trying to tell Zuko this, but all he worries about is being like you."

"Like me?" Azula opened her eyes and saw Ursa kneeling down and hugging her in the mirror in front of them. "Yes, but he has to learn through the hard way, since no other way will get through to him, you may be like Ozai, but Zuko is the one that inherited most of his burdens."

* * *

><p>"No guards?" Alkoa squinted his eyes, trying to see better in the dark outside the royal beach house. "There should be," Shintao put his hand on the wooden door and signaled Alkoa help him open the gates. Alkoa waited for Shintao to finish his sentence, but never did.<p>

"You're late," Ling Xian raised his arms and raised the ground in the middle of the courtyard, "I had to take care of the guards all by myself."

Both water benders entered the compound and watched as the earth bender raised a pile of unconscious guards from the ground and throw them as into the brushed and trees outside the property. "It's been a while since I've last seen you bend," Shintao said before wondering about until he found torches, "I guess benders don't need matches…"

"I got some," Alkoa hurried to Shintao and took out a box of short matches from his pocket.

Once all the torches around the open area were lit, the three men gathered and started preparing for the night.

* * *

><p>Once the play was finally over all of the royal's got up and started leaving when they spotted a politician and his family. To Ursa and Zuko's surprise, it was Mai's family, Ozai and Azula both dreaded talking to them, but the prince decided to take Mai's father somewhere private and try to get him on his side. Azula and Mai locked eyes and walked towards each other, ignoring Zuko who was cautiously approached the monotone girl.<p>

"Azula…" Mai stopped a few feet from the bender and crossed her arms. "Did you like the play?" Azula ignored the look she was getting. "It was…boring," Mai dropped her hands, "I honestly don't understand why our parents enjoy this thing, nothing ever happens." The royal was shocked that Mai dropped her guard so fast but realized Mai was probably bored out of her mind as well. "How shocking, you think something was boring," Azula teased, "you know, I think Zuzu was probably thinking about you."

"Zuzu?"

"Zuko," Azula looked over her shoulder and smirked when she saw his surprised face.

Mai felt blood rush towards her face, but simply coughed and cleared her throat, "Why did you call him 'Zuzu'?"

"He proved he was more of a girl than me, Zuzu is his new name."

"How interesting," Mai's dark eyes turned to Zuko and a faint smiled appeared in her face, "does that make him the princess in distress?"

"Yes, Princess Zuzu."

"Does that make you Azulon the Second?" Mai turned the joke on Azula, but kept it light hearted. "Indeed, when I become the Fire Lord I will make Ty Lee my Fire Lady and you can be one of my servants if you wish," Azula took it was compliment, thought she knew Mai was turning the joke on her.

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><p>AN: I'd like to say I'm sorry for the last few chapters, I've been having a very hard time trying to type down what I actually want and actually sitting down and writing the story.


	19. 19 The Beginning

A/N: One thing: I am trying to keep the story as close as I can to the ATLA plot, but not the comics. I am not a fan of them and i already have my own version of what happens after Ozai's defeat. There's also very…interesting…things in the new series, The Search, that I've read and really disliked.

* * *

><p>"Before benders, living things used to be able to manipulate their surroundings through the use of life energy," Alkoa repeated what he had read from one of Shintao's books, "which later was taken away from the humans by the Spirits and then given back through bending, doesn't this mean benders can somehow use life energy instead of the four elements?"<p>

"No," Ling Xian commented as he created a large circle in the middle of the yard by touching the ground and making a circular motion with his finger tips. "The spirits didn't give back anything, they used already existing beings to give humans some of their abilities. For air, earth, and fire benders they used the life energy of creatures while the moon spirit created your kind."

"Is that why we can control living things, because we were created differently?" Alkoa asked before Shintao handed him a metal canteen. "Indeed," Ling Xian stood up, "water benders are the only creatures who can impose their will on others, even if they are primordial or normal."

"Our bending is a lot stronger than most! But only the wretched can truly harness it's full power." Shintao itched to show Alkoa just what he was able to do, but bottled it up inside.

"Fire turns to lightning, water turns to blood, earth turns to metal, what does air turn to?" Alkoa opened the canteen and carefully bended the water out, the royals were going to come soon and he needed to warm up. "No one really knows, they never fully embraced their abilities unless there was no other way, but even then they never took the next step," Shintao took out his own canteen but never opened it.

"Certain humans were able to retain a spec of their original abilities, take the Lee family, they can see us for what we are through our auras," Ling Xian created a triangle on the ground, the earth around the large circle was cut, forming a perfect triangle. "How was an entire family able to keep something like aura reading in their blood line?" Alkoa put the glob of water in front of him and started moving it when his hands. "Only the grandmother, father, and Ty Lee," Shintao's eyes shifted towards the entrance when they heard the sound of a carriage. "There is no needs to worry," Ling Xian closed the gates with earth bending, "the Lee's are no threat to us, if anything we are a threat to them."

"They are sensitive to the land and people, negative energy harms them," Shintao explained before Alkoa could ask another question. The blood bender took control of Alkoa's water and used it to put out the fires around them, returning the yard to darkness.

* * *

><p>Azula leaned her head near the edge of the window of the carriage, watching as the trees and ocean slowly pass by. The full moon's blue glow gave everything the fires' light didn't touch a pale blue hue while the darkness grew where no light could reach, it almost seemed as if the shadows was reaching for her every time they passed by a tall object. Zuko had fallen asleep the second he sat down and rested his body against Ozai, who was also fighting desire to sleep. Ursa was still awake but had her eyes closed, replaying the entire day of barely any fighting within her family and actually doing something together, a smile formed on her lips when she opened them again and saw her husband and son. Azula couldn't help but smile too, there was something about the entire day that made her feel warm inside, maybe it was because Ozai didn't tell her she was doing everything wrong or Zuko failing at proving he was stronger than her. Just when Azula was about to sleep she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand and a chill run down her spine.<p>

The carriage came to a grinding stop when the driver outside noticed there where no guards standing outside the beach house. Ursa and Ozai both sat up straight and looked outside the windows for any danger. Ursa nearly jumped when the driver appeared at the window, "why have we stopped!" the prince tried not to burn the man since his fires would most likely burn his family alive too. "The guards didn't open the gates, Prince Ozai, I will have to do it myself," the driver said before disappearing. Azula looked at her mother and father, but thought nothing of it when they didn't seem to be worried about anything_._

The driver tried his best to open the gates but his thin body couldn't manage to even move one of the two gates, he instead tried to knock on the doors and get the attention of guards. "Hello?" the man used one of the large iron rings to knock, "open the gates!" No one answered but the sound of rocks shuffling and hinges creaking made the men jump back just as the wooden doors slowly started to open. The driver quickly returned to the carriage and ordered the ostrich horse to move forward, but the beast was frozen until a whip hit it's back. Slowly, the ostrich horse entered the dark area, it's eyes moved back and forth, trying to identify where the danger was, but the only light source was the dying torch the driver had, making it impossible to see farther than a few feet.

All of the royals sat up once the gates opened, getting ready to leave when Ozai noticed there were no lights inside the beach house. "Stay in here," the prince ordered when the wheels of the carriage hit a few bumps. The sudden movement made all of the royals grab on to the handles of the doors, except Zuko who was about to fall off the chair. Lucky for him, Ursa grabbed him before he reached the floor. "W-what's going on?" Zuko slowly opened his eyes, finding himself embraced by his mother. A sudden scream echoed throughout the yard, followed by the shriek of the ostrich horse. "What was that!?" Azula tried to look out the window, but was pulled away by her mother, "don't let them see you!" Ursa and Ozai both knew their family was going to be attacked sooner or later, like all of the other royals, but they never thought it would happen both their children near by.

"Who!?" fear ran down Zuko and Azula's spine at the thought of them being under attack. "Keep them in here, Ursa!" Ozai removed his royal robes, revealing his usual clothes without the black armor. "Ozai, don't!" the princess grabbed on to his sleeve, but the prince pulled away and opened the door.

~X~

"There is so much evil in this world," the water tribe woman lowered her eyes as she watched Azula through a well of glowing water deep inside the ancient library. "Such innocence can never last," a wicked smirk formed on her painted lips, "its almost maddening!"

"Humanity is such an evil existence," there was no hint of emotion on the great beast's voice, "they are willing to destroy everything the world gives them for an ounce of power."

"They have to be punished…all of them, they do not know any other way. This war, this world, will swallow them whole," the being moved the focused of the water from Azula to the rest of the family. "A father who sees his children as tools, a mother that sees her own as a stranger, a son who wants everything, and a forsaken daughter," Wan Shi Tong leaned closer when he saw Ozai come out of the carriage and into Ling Xian's trap. "It's such a shame they have to take part in your plans, but our actions are no different than humans'" the smirk faded from the woman's lips and she turned her attention towards the spirit. "This is of their own doing, every action they make will always have a negative outcome, even if they meant to do good," Wan Shi Tong looked at his own on the water and let out a sigh, "your negative aura is starting to affect me." The owl turned away from the being and well, "if everything goes according to your plans, then I do not need to see what happens next."

"It seems human sympathy is still inside you, even after those you trusted have perished."

"Humanity is contagious plague, if you spend enough time with them you will fall for it, for good or bad."

**~Part 2~**

~X~

The prince of the fire nation carefully closed the door once he was out, making sure not to draw any attention to his family. Ozai opened his right palm and created a flame big enough to let him see what was in front of him but small enough so they couldn't see the people inside carriage. Ozai walked around until the low orange light hit the front of carriage where the driver was, but found nothing but a torch on the ground.

"Come out cowards!" The prince ordered, but was responded by silence. Ozai narrowed his eyes as he walked towards the main entrance of the beach house until he noticed the lines carved into the titles beneath his feet. The prince increased the size of his fire, watching as the lines created a circle inside a triangle. "It's time for you wish to come true," Shintao stepped out of the darkness. "It's just you…" Ozai lowered his guard, "what is the meaning of this!? Where are the guards?"

"You shouldn't have done that…" Shintao closed his eyes and focused on Ozai's entire being. The blood coursing through the prince's slowly became the only thing Shintao saw in the darkness. "Just what do you-" the muscles in Ozai's face and neck froze when Shintao raised his right arm towards him, "I've grown tired of your voice, prince."

Shintao spread all of the fingers on his right hand and the prince lost his entire control over his own body. "However, I am a man of my word," the blood bender raised Ozai off the ground and contorted his limbs into painful angles with every motion of his fingers.

'_Damn it! Why won't my body move!' _Ozai screamed inside as his body froze and was lifted off the ground, _'this can't be happening!' _The Prince wanted to scream in pain as his left arm was moved up and back, the only reason it didn't break was that Shintao was clearly toying with him. _'Once I am free-' _Ozai's thoughts were shattered when he felt his right and left side start to be pulled by some invisible force. The prince's eyes widened as when he could no longer see his limbs or even the ground, all he could see was the large full moon and the grey clouds that nearly covered the entire dark sky. The last thing Ozai heard before everything went black was a crack near his neck.

Azula tried her best to stick her head out of the window when she heard her father talking to someone, but her mother pulled her down to the grown where she and Zuko where kneeling. "Azula, stay down, we don't know who they are!" Ursa put her arms around her children's back and pulled them close together. "Father was talking to someone," Azula informed her mother and brother, she found herself actually grabbing on to Ursa's robe. Never before in her short life had Azula actually experience something like she did now. She didn't know what it was but it somehow excited her, but at the same time her heart started beating faster and the back of her head starter to tingle. "W-who is out there!?" Zuko's lower lip started to tremble, he had never seen Oza and Ursa worry so much until now. "Someone who wants to hurt us," Ursa held on to her children when she heard a 'thud' outside. "Who would want to hurt us!?" Zuko tried wrapped his small arms around Ursa's neck. "Bad people, Zuko, really bad people," Ursa closed her eyes and held her children even tighter, she couldn't hear Ozai's footsteps or voice anymore. "I think I can hear some people talking," Azula turned her head towards the window on the carriage, but Ursa used her hand to make her turned towards Zuko and herself.

"I do not understand why you knocked him out," Alkoa said as he walked towards Ozai and dragged him out of the circle by his foot. "People like him make my blood boil," Shintao opened his eyes, "bark but no real bite."

"Now, Shintao, there's no need to get personal," Ling Xian said as he grabbed the torch from the carriage and handed it to Alkoa, "now that we've make out big entrance…" The earth bender turned to the wooden vehicle and swiped his left foot to the left. The ground beneath the royal carriage move to the left, taking all of the royals inside out the triangle and circle. Alkoa flinched when he heard Ursa and Zuko let out a faint yelp from the sudden movement, he guess Ursa or Azula probably had to put their hands on Zuko's mouth to stop him from screaming.

Azula, Zuko, and Ursa all fell to the ground when the carriage suddenly moved, both of the fire benders where now under Ursa's heavy robes and body, Zuko froze and Azula didn't resists, the same chill from before ran down her spin again. "Azula, Zuko," Ursa whispered as low as she could, "when they open the door you both have to run! Please-please don't try to fight them!" Ursa cringed at the thought of someone strong enough to take down her husband going after her children. _'T-the second that door opens…I have to distract them! As long as Azula and Zuko escape-'_ Ursa's entire being stiffened when she heard the hinges screech as the door was slowly opened. The princess stood up and threw herself at intruder, "Zuko, Azula, run!" The mother was able to take down the attacker to the ground and pin him under her slim figure. Instead of the sound of small feet hitting tiles Ursa heard the sound of flames moving through the air above her. The fire's didn't make it far before running out of energy and disappearing mid-flight, but the light they created allowed Ursa to see just who was attack them. Beneath her was a man she had seen only once, when she visited the girls' academy before enrolling Azula. "Mom, move!" Zuko commanded before jumped out of the carriage and landing on his fighting stance, followed by Azula. Ursa wanted to scream at them for disobeying, but she wasn't able to form words when she saw another figure walk in front of her. Azula was the first to release a small orange fireball towards the second man by punching the air. The princess quickly rolled off the man beneath her and covered the sides of hear head with her hands. Just as his mother moved, Zuko released a smaller fireball, compared to Azula's, towards the man on the ground.

"I've expect something more from you," Shintao taunted Azula as he bended the water in Alkoa's canteen and created a shield, blocking and extinguishing the fire before bending it to block Zuko's from reach Alkoa. Ursa's eyes grew wide when she noticed Ozai was laying a few feet from her, his hair was untied and blood was coming out of his mouth.

When Azula noticed the man standing wasn't going to be able defend himself and the man on the ground she launched a large ball of white fire towards her target. Once the first fire was released, Azula gathered all of her energy and launched a diagonal arc of fire with her other arm. Shintao smirked before spreading out the water shield into a large thin layer, protecting both himself and Alkoa. Shintao's smirk faded when he saw a flash of orange light coming towards him from the left side. Zuko's attack hit Shintao on his arm, it wasn't strong enough to give him a severe burn, but it did distract him enough to lose control of the shield. Azula quickly too advantage and released two fire balls towards both of the men. Alkoa was barely able to take control of the falling water just in time protect himself. The second fire hit Shintao in the center of his chest, catching his shirt on fire and making him take a few steps back.

Alkoa wrapped a water whip around both Azula and Zuko's ankles and pulled them, making them ball on their backs. Shintao put out the fires with his hands and ripped his shirt off, the blood bender gritted his teeth and raised his arms up. All of the royal's bodies froze and rose into the air, the mother and children screamed, but they soon fell silent when Shintao brought his arms down to the ground.

"Get up!" Shintao commanded the second water bender before he moved the royal's bodies so they were laying together. "You are more useless than I thought," Shintao glared at the healer. "I do not intend on hurting them any more than I have too," Alkoa got up and dusted his shirt, "they're still living beings."

"Such compassion is why you were picked," Shintao scuffed.

Alkoa kneeled beside Azula and Zuko, checking if they were still breathing or even alive, "you need to be careful, the force of your blood bending can really hurt them." Shintao didn't say anything, instead he opened his canteen. "What is that?" Alkoa asked when he tried to bend the water out, he wanted to use clean water to actually see if the children were hurt.

"Azula's blood," Ling Xian finally spoke again, he had been watching the struggle the entire time, "once the full moon reaches it's highest point we will begin. For now all we can do is prepare."

Alkoa watched as Azula was placed on one of the ends of the triangle while Ozai was placed in another by Shintao's blood bending. "W-what's happening!?"

"Before bending," Ling Xian sat down on the middle of the circle, "living creatures used to freely control life energy." The earth bender got into a mediation position and closed his eyes, "only powerful spirits can do this now."

"You've already said that countless time!" the healer narrowed his eyes.

"Like the Avatar, this spirits can be channeled through a being anchored to the physical world, but only in certain times and for a very short amount of time." Shintao sat down on the last end of the triangle, "but we have to be careful, we have to take measures to make sure the major spirits don't notice what we are doing." The black liquid in Shintao's canteen slowly came out in a glob when the blood bender closed his eyes and put his hands in front of him. "As a primal benders we are more in tune with the spirits and the life energy around us," Ling Xian put his left hand on the ground, perfect lines, coming from the ends of the triangle to the middle of the circle, formed.

"With the Spirit root severed, someone with the knowledge and power can harness the energies of the world," Shintao spread his arms to each side, "most of all humans have lost this power." The girl's blood slowly moved to the ground until it reached the carvings on the ground, "you will see why the spirits tried to destroy us," Shintao put both his hands down to the ground. The black liquid suddenly rushed throughout the lines, filling the circle and triangle.

'_The anchor,' _Ling Xian could sense the vile liquid run through the triangle. _'The cycle of life,'_ the blood circled around him, but it stopped before it could enter the lines coming towards him. _'All that's left is the moon's power.'_

As Alkoa watched the strange ritual he couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach. The air around them thickened and the smell of blood overpowered the smell of the sea. _'What is happening!? I can barely breath, it feels like something is crushing my chest…'_ Alkoa's blue eyes looked at Azula and he felt a lump form in the back of his throat, _'Ozai…just what have you gotten her into!?'_

~X~

Lee and his mother watched as the youngest member of their family curled into a ball and start whimpering. "She can sense it too," Lee slowly approached Ty Lee's bed, "I can smell it from here."

"Blood," the grandmother followed her son and gently closed the door to the girl's room. "The air is almost the same as when Azula was born," Lee sat on the edge of Ty Lee's bed and gently pulled her towards him, holding her tight and fixing her hair. "F-father?" Ty Lee slowly opened her eyes before closing them when she felt her chest tightened, "I-it hurts." Ty Lee's grandmother moved any hair that covered the girl's face and examined it, "tell me, what do you feel?"

"It-it feels as if there's no light, but at the same time there's a burning sensation all over my body," Ty Lee gripped her father's arm and buried her face in his shirt when she felt tears form in her eyes, "make it stop."

"I wish I could," the elderly woman removed her hand from the girl's face and walked towards the window, "a great darkness has fallen upon the Fire Nation. Something unnatural, ugly, and vile, unlike before."

"I remember grandmother saying she felt something like that when Sozin ordered the extermination of the air nomads," Lee loosened his grip on Ty Lee, he didn't want to hurt her even more. "Now is not the time to talk about this," the grandmother turned to the father and daughter, "we have to take care of Ty Lee first, I have a feeling things are just going to get worse from now on and we have no idea just how it's going to effect her."

Ty Lee could barely hear what the two adults were saying, all she could think about was hopelessness and the feeling that she was alone in the world. The only thing that seemed to bring her any sort of relief or warmth was the memories of playing with her best friend. _'A-azula…'_ Ty lee barely managed to think before a stronger wave of pain washed over her entire being.

* * *

><p>AN: Really sorry about the late update, again, but Business Law is really eating up most of my time.


	20. 20 Pale Green

A/N: I want to say that most of the future chapters aren't going to be very sweet or tender because they involve Azula basically becoming herself in the show, remorseless and cruel and I am going to have to cut them out to save time. It is going to be graphic at some parts, but it does serve a purpose, not because I want to be edgy. A bit shaky since this was done under intense pressure.

* * *

><p>'<em>My library was created to help humanity, not to be used as housing for one of the most foul ancient spirits,' <em>the knowledge spirit slowly came out of the bowls of his great library, _'humans used my resources to kill each other, Spirits wanted to destroy it, and even nature has swallowed it…it seems that this world understands something I have never accepted, conscious beings, those who follow their desires, are inherently evil.' _Wan Shi Tong finally reached highest floor and looked at the full moon's light coming from the only window not buried in sand, _'now I see why the moon and sea spirit decided to become mortal beings, but they too put their desires before their nature is spiritual beings.' _The great owl looked up the tower and watched as the full moon bathed everything it touched in a soft white light, _'but maybe it was your soft nature that caused you to return to the world. Ling Xian…what is your desire and true nature?'_

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><p><em>Blood…the symbol of life, destruction, and chaos, everything living has it and it is shed for little to nothing. This liquid that keeps us alive scars the land when spilled from the innocent and burns from the wretched. This liquid that every living being has, both king and slave, has the power to turn the divine into hallow. <em>

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><p>~Azula's mind (Dream)~<p>

"Azula!" the fire bender heard her name in the darkness of her mind. "Azula!" the voiced called out again, but she just couldn't figure out where it was come from. 'It's too dark…' Azula tried to move but the sense of motion never came. "Azula…" Azula instantly recognized the worried voice, it was her best friend and the second person she truly trusted, other than Jiao. "Are you okay?" Ty Lee asked before taking Azula's hands and kissing her knuckles, at least that's what it felt like. "I can't see you!" Azula started to panic, the warmth from Ty Lee's lips filled her entire being, but she couldn't see the girl, "I think I'm blind!"

"No you're not, silly!" Ty Lee giggled, "you just have to open your eyes." Azula followed her friend's instructions and felt her entire being turn red from embarrassment when the first light penetrated the darkness. The first thing she saw was the pink girl's silver eyes looked directly into hers, the second was how close she was. "You sort of feel asleep while counting, I was hiding for so long I thought you went to do something else!" Ty Lee pulled away, but didn't release Azula's hands from her own. "Heh," the royal nervously laughed, "I guess I am just tired…"

"You've been training for so long," the worried tone on the girl's voice returned, "why don't we just lay down for a few minutes?"

"Sure," Azula looked around and saw she was in some grassy field with no end insight, she wanted to sit somewhere under a shade but there was nothing else around. She hesitated at first, but sat down before Ty Lee, "where are we?"

"I don't know…" Ty Lee looked at the horizon and smiled, "but I know that as long as I am with you I don't have to be afraid!" she looked back at Azula, flashing her large smile. The royal didn't understand what she was feeling, there was an odd sensation building deep with her that she couldn't describe other than excitement, "Y-yeah, me too…where do you think we are?" she quickly tried to changed the subject. Ty Lee's smile retracted, "the earth kingdom? Or maybe one of those islands near the capital." Azula stood up and looked around, all she could see was green from the grass and blue and white from the sky. " I like it, it's nice and peaceful," Ty Lee said before sitting down and patting the spot next to her. Azula felt something drop on her stomach, something always came and ruined times like this, but she swallowed and sat next to her friend, "me too."

The two females sat there for a while, watching as the clouds and sun slowly made their way through the blue sky. Ty Lee's eyes were fixed on the clouds, but Azula's weren't, her golden eyes looked around, anticipating for something. A sudden breeze made the fire bender jump a little, but Ty Lee would squeeze her hand and point at a cloud she thought looked extra fluffy.

"What's that, Azula!?" Ty Lee said just as the sun's light dimmed, turning the sky red. The royal quickly looked up at the sun and saw the orb of light was starting to be blocked by something invisible, creating a crescent of light that slowly shrunk. "An eclipse!" Azula stood up and looked around, without her fire bending she was useless if someone was to attack.

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><p>"The time is near," Ling Xian looked up at the sky and saw the moon was nearly at its peak. "I can sense the foul spirit's presence," Alkoa mentioned on the side, "it's coming from Azula."<p>

"When she was at her most vulnerable and alone, it managed to get inside her, thriving in the doubt and fear of her soul," Shintao smirked. "If you don't mind me asking, why wait for the full moon? Won't the moon spirit be stronger and see what you are doing?" Alkoa examined the young girl and saw her face contort in pain. "The moon is no longer a divine being, it became mortal before the four nations," Ling Xian opened his eyes, "the sun is at it's farthest point when the moon is at it's highest in any location, it is not the moon we fear, we fear Agni and the feral spirits that still linger this world that will be attracted to our dark ritual." Alkoa gulped, _'what in the world am I being dragged into!?' _

'_With the use of the world's natural flowing energy I can truly become anchored to the world without real earthly attachments, it should be stronger considering we are in a lay line,' _Ling Xian closed his eyes again and buried his arms deep in the ground with earth bending. _'Shintao should be able to use the girl's blood as a connection to himself, Azula, Ozai, and myself. This ritual usually needs a willing giver, but her blood was the only pure one, Ozai had ruined his when he decided to kill before. They won't be restrained like myself, but if a spirit comes along it won't be able to drag them into the spirit world.' _

"It's time!" Shintao said before the blood shot towards the center of the circle through the remaining carvings. The black liquid crawled up Ling Xian's arms, up his neck, and the sides of his face in perfect lines before stopping and gathering in the center of his forehead, creating a circle. Ling Xian gritted his teeth when he felt sharp objects pierce both his palms, _'I'm attached to the spirit crystals now…since the root was severed their energy should started to flow. I have to focus all of my energy and open my chakra passages.' _

-Part Two-

Azula watched in horror as the invisible object turned the sun into a ring of light with a pitch black center. The entire sky turned a dim crimson and the clouds turned blood red, cloaking the world beneath in a thin layer of darkness. "Azula!" Ty Lee held on to her friend's arm tight, "what's going in?" "I have no idea," Azula looked at Ty Lee, she could barely see any features on the girls face or bosy, but by her hold alone she felt how tense she truly was. "I-I'll protect you with all my strength," Azula tried to reassure the girl, but there was a hint of fear behind her words. "We will see about that!" a strong male voice came from behind them. Both girls slowly turned and nearly jumped when they saw the silhouette of the second born prince. Ozai smirked when he saw the fear in the girls' eyes through the darkness, "you can't hide from me, Azula" Ozai took a step forward, but stopped when he saw the princess turn away, "you can't run away from me either!" Ozai slashed the air in front of him, creating a large arc of fire that hit the ground a few feet from Azula and Ty Lee," you'll have to face me if you want to or not!" Azula turned towards the other side when her father's fire started to burn the grass and spread. Ozai launched an fire ball that curved around Azula and Ty Lee, setting the grass in front of his daughter on fire. "Let the wrath take over you, Azula!" Ozai yelled before setting the remaining grass around Azula on fire, "or else you and your little turtle duck will burn!" Azula's eyes went wide when an image of a motionless creature on a stone flashed, instantly sending a chill down her spine and making her legs start to shake. "Azula!" Ty Lee wrapped her arms around Azula's body and held her tight, "it's getting close!" Ty Lee's voice put strength back on Azula's legs and mind, "let go of me, Ty Lee," Azula tried to sound calm but her voice had started trembling. "O-okay," the pink girl slowly releases her hold on Azula, but she was only able to take a few steps away since the fires were closing in. Azula got into her defensive stance and took a deep breath, _'take control of the fires...breath in and out and let you will tame it.' _

Ty Lee watched the fires stopped moving towards them and stand still, she was about to say something about how great Azula was but froze when she saw the fires parted and the prince approached them. "Azu-" Ty Lee's mouth was suddenly covered by Ozai's hands.

Azula's eyes snapped open and saw that her father was roughly holding onto Ty Lee, " let go of her!" Azula's shifted to her battle stance. "Do not talk to your superior like that!" Ozai threw Ty Lee on the ground, "I taught you better than that!" The younger royal gritted her teeth, her instinct to fight her father was brought down by what she was taught all her life. The lesser royal was about to kneel down to her father when she saw Ozai's foot make contact with Ty Lee's stomach, something deep inside Azula snapped when she heard Ty Lee's cry of pain. The fire bender prodigy lunged at her father, but Ozai grabbed her by her collar and through her on the ground next to Ty Lee. Azula let out a cry when her shoulder crushed into the ground, but felt relief when she saw Ozai had turned his attention at her instead of Ty Lee.

"You dare challenge your father for some girl!?" Ozai grabbed Azula by her collar again and raised her off her feet, "you dare challenge your master for a bitch!?" The wind in Azula's lungs was suddenly forced outside when Ozai's knee met her stomach. "Let her go!" Ty Lee struggled to stand. "Run, Ty Lee!" Azula screamed when her father's eyes left her for the pink girl. The fire bending girl felt her father's hold loosen, "leave her alone!" Azula commanded before kicking her father's chest with both her feet, a small puff of orange fire came out of her heels, sending Ozai stumbling back and forcing him to release Azula so he could put out the fire on his shirt. "You filthy, wretched child! "fire came out of his nostrils and mouth when he exhaled before taking a deep breath and getting into his stance, "I've been too lenient with you..." Ozai swept his right foot to the side, the fires he set before closed around them, "but punishing you won' be enough, no, you will just get up and get stronger, i have to show you real consequences."

Azula nervously backed away using her elbows and kicking the ground, but stopped when she felt the heat of her fathers fire coming from behind her, "w-what are you going to do!?" Ozai cocked back both his arms so his fists were at the same level with his waist and smirked, "physical pain won't be your teacher," Ozai suddenly turned on his heel and shot a large ball of fire towards the moving girl in the distance. Azula tried to get up, but fell when the air burned her lungs and stomach ached. Ozai grinned when he saw the fire ball hit something solid, spreading the fires around the object and it onto the ground.

-x-

Ling Xian coughed up blood when the spirit crystals penetrated his palms even more, _'have to focus.' _The natural energy suddenly flowed deep through the crystals and into Ling Xian's body, making the hair on the back of his neck and skin tingle. This new energy inside Ling Xian's body made all of his muscles tense and added more weight on his entire being, crushing his body under what felt like a large boulder.

"Tell me, Alkoa, how does a water bender heal?" Shintao asked as he waited for Ling Xian to give him the signal to start his part. "By applying our own energy into the body of the wounded," Alkoa responded. "As water benders we guide the natural energy of flooding water and blood with our own. If we can apply our own energy into the body of others, wouldn't taking energy from them also be possible?"

"I suppose so...but I have never heard of something like that ever being practiced."

"That's because most benders, descendants of our kind, have lost such abilities. Abilities fade over time, but it's possible, especially with the power of the moon helping. It's almost like blood bending."

"Something like that would require a lot of control, if you apply too much energy into a part of the body then it ends up hurting it, i cannot imagine channeling someone else's energy into your own body."

"That's why you are here, if anything were to happen to me...you will have to take over, I will be channeling energy out of Ling Xian through the girl's blood to and from my body to theirs."

"But I have no idea how blood bending works," Alkoa half lied, he started reading about it from one of the books Ling Xian had given him, but he also did not want to start blood bending anyone after he saw what such a technique does to the body of others, not to mention how it must feel to have such power over another human being, it could change him to be like Shintao, something he did not want to be. "Your primary reason for being here is to heal everyone once tonight is over."

"Just what is going to happen to-" the healer was interrupted by the sound of shattering glass. "My turn," Shintao muttered under his breath when he saw Ling Xian's head shoot up towards the sky. Shintao quickly closed his eyes and focus on the blood beneath him, in the darkness of his mind the blood started to glow bright red and spread through the rest of the carvings until it reached the center of the circle.

"Get ready to heal in case this goes horrible wrong, Alkoa," Shintao said before he felt the spirit energy enter Ling Xian's body from the crystals that pierce the earth bender's palms and started pumping energy into his body. Shintao's senses faded into darkness, he couldn't hear or feel anything except the carvings, father and daughter, and Ling Xian. All of Ling Xian's blood slowly started to glow brighter than the rest and turn a pale green that resembled the spirit crystals he had seen the night they removed the root. Alkoa nearly jumped in fear when large crystals surrounded the earth bender until he wasn't visible. The blood that went into the center of the triangle started to be push under, covered shimmering energy_. 'Numb the pain and focus on distributing the energy through the girl's life,'_ Ling Xian heard a soft but dark voice when he felt a crystal jab his forearms and leg, _'the world is fighting back, but you have to bend it to your will!' _More crystals pieced deep into Ling Xian's arms and legs, making him grit his teeth and force his eyes shot.

The energy coming from Ling Xian started to grew unstable, cracks formed from the carvings on the ground and spread through the yard, the glow from the crystals slowly seeped from the cracks to the rest of the tiles until the darkness was pushed away the royal beach house. Nearly all of the ground was bathed in pale green light that crawled up the walls, stopping halfway, the carvings on the yard glow grew brighter than everything else, turning almost white. Shintao tried his best to evenly distribute the energy between himself and the royals, but the energy was starting to overwhelm him, "damn it!" Shintao pushed the energy coming through the blood back to Ling Xian, but the tensions between his force and the earth's pushed him back until he was out of the lines.~Part 2~Azula screamed when she saw the fires swallow the air around her friend, the hatred Ozai had harvested inside her was suddenly unleashed in a large plume of white fire aimed out of her small fists at Ozai's back. Instead of seeing if or not the fires hit her father, Azula ran towards Ty Lee, but found her feet weren't moving as fast as she wanted. "Ty Lee!" Azula desperately wanted to use the jets of fire Ozai had told her about when he was teaching her advance fire bending moves, "Ty Lee!" Her lungs burned everytime she breathed, smoke coming from the expanding fires filled her longs instead of air, but Azula managed to keep on running until she reached the spot where Ty Lee was suppose to be. Despite the inferno around her, Azula found that the fire in front of her was hotter, brighter, and far more intense than the rest. Azula stepped back when a cloud of smoke hit her face, making her cough and cover her eyes. Azula quickly put her shirt's collar over her mouth and nose, 'Ty Lee!' Azula tried to take control of the flames, but the smoke burning her eyes and lungs forced her to step even further back. She was taken by surprised when she felt her fathers strong grip surround the back of her neck. Before she could react she was thrown to the side, barely missing getting burned by the cracking fires. "You are still weak!" the tip of Ozai's foot made contact with Azula stomach, pushing her closer to the inferno, "your anger and wrath are still nothing more than embers!" Ozai smirked when he saw his daughter try to stand up, _'every time you get put down you get up, unlike your brother.' _It was this ability that made Ozai do what he did, no matter how hurt or tired Azula got during her training she always found a way to get on her feet and try again, stronger and better than before. This quality was also something Ozai wanted from Azula, unlike her he had reached his limit years ago when Iroh had defeated him in a duel for the crown, he lacked the ability to stand up again and again for hours on end against his older brother."A-azula..." Ty Lee's soft voice came from behind him, making him look over his shoulder, "you are still alive!?"Ozai narrowed his eyes when he saw a water tribe with the pink girl over her shoulder, "honestly, Ozai, children?" "Who are you!?" Ozai turned towards her, but not before putting his heel on Azula's chest and adding pressure. "I am here for her," the woman pointed at Azula, "I wont let you treat her like that" A strong gust of wind blew thought the field, putting out the fires and returning the land into darkness, "you've made a pack for power for your daughter, but there is still another price to pay!" Ozai launched a volley of fire balls towards the woman, but she was gone when the light reached where she was, replaced by empty space and smoke. "Come out!" Ozai gathered all of his energy and unleashed a wave of fire at every direction. Before he could do or say anything else, the prince felt a sharp pain go from his back to his chest. Blood rushed from his insides and up his throat, spilling over his lips and chin. "How pathetic!" the woman's voice came from behind Ozai, "you've reached you limit and have to resort to stealing it from your daughter!" The Prince tried to create another wave of fire to push back the woman, but when he released a puff of fire he saw a bloody hand coming out of his chest, "w-what in Agni's name are you!?" The woman didn't respond, she simple chuckled and puller her arm from Ozai's body. The father fell once the support was gone next to his daughter with a heavy thud. The scorched field eagerly took his blood as it came out of his chest and mouth

Azula had only see the arm before the fire was put out, so when she heard a loud thug next to her her body jerk, but the pain in her stomach and shock paralyzed her. "There's no need to worry, Azula..." the woman approached the frightened girl, but stopped when she saw Azla jerk again. "T-t-" Azula was interrupted by the woman, "Ty Lee is save, far away from hr and sleeping." "W-what are you!?" Azula squirmed away from the woman. "I am here to protect you, Azula, like I have always had," the woman walked towards the fire bender and kneeled down before cupping her chin, "you mean so much to me, my little fire fly." The royal's mind went blank and eyes grow wide, Jiao was the only person who ever called her that when they were alone, only the servant and royal knew that. Azula regained a grip of her body and kicked the burned grass and ash as she tried to move back from the woman, "g-get away!"The woman frowned, "is that any way to thank someone who has saved your friend's and your own life?" There was hurt in her voice, but the frown quickly faded. The watertribe woman tilted her head to the side when she saw a black circle form on Azula's forehead, "it's begun-" the woman quickly stepped to the side when a ball of fire came from Azula's fist towards her head. The woman slowly started to chuckle before she went back to Azula's side, "I've been very nice to you, but it's time for you to stand in your own two feet." Azula tried to lunch another ball of fire toward the woman, but the energy required did not gather properly and she ended up burning her own hand. "The world is fighting against Ling Xian and it seems Shintao is also having some problems with distributing the energy evenly," the woman kneeled beside the girl again and touched the black circle on her forehead, "but the link between us has been formed, I can us the world energy to step on the physical world without other spirit's, but only for a moment." The circle Azula's forehead start to glow pale green when the woman touched it with her middle and index finger."W-what's going on!?" Azula tried to move away, but her entire body was frozen as a strange wave of energy washed over her entire body. "The child of Agni will have it's third eye forced open," the woman stroked Azula's cheek, her eyes fixed on her fingers and the girl's forehead as a pale silver glow started to light up their veins in the darkness.

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><p>AN: Sorry for the late update but life, hopefully i will update in a week or two to make up for the long wait.


	21. Announcement

A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates in the past few months, but I've actually been working on this story. I didn't want to say this until I had a solid answer, still don't, but I've actually been working on getting this illustrated, like a comic. The reason why I want this illustrated is because I know my writing isn't that great and it can sometimes be confusing, I am a big picture kind of person and in my mind I can image the movement of a character or how they look, I just have a hard time putting that in writing. The artist is new and a friend, so it won't be at the level of the official Avatar comics, but hopefully it will give you the basic idea of what is going on without much confusion. Again, not completely 100% of it will happen or not, but I will most likely get an answer by August 3, if it is a no then the updates will start again shortly.


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